Box Score
The Wilkes University field hockey team started their 2008 season in dramatic fashion by defeating Moravian College at Artillery Park by a score of 4-3.
After the teams were deadlocked at 3-3 and completed two fifteen minute overtime periods, the outcome was decided by penalty strokes, where the Lady Colonels prevailed 3-0.
“When we play together as a team, the outcome is going to be good,” stated Wilkes' head coach
Sara Myers, whose team held a 28-7 advantage in shots and a 12-7 advantage in penalty corners.
The Lady Colonels jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when senior
Devon McKay (Secane, Pa./Christian Academy) found the back of the cage at the 2:11 mark off of a feed from fellow senior
Alyssa Koncelik (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip). However, Wilkes' offense seemed to stall inside the box during the middle portion of the game and the Greyhounds were able to capitalize by scoring three straight goals to take a 3-1 lead with fifteen minutes remaining in the game.
Wilkes finally broke through in the 65
th minute, as junior
Jennifer Keegan (Shohola, Pa./Delaware Valley) took a pass from freshman
Lindsey Raleigh (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) to cut the deficit to 3-2. The Lady Colonels would then score the game-tying goal less than two minutes later as Koncelik scored unassisted to send the game to overtime.
The two overtime periods saw Wilkes hold a 15-1 advantage in shots but were once again unable to connect for the game-winner, setting up for an outcome decided by penalty strokes.
Moravian would shoot first in the penalty strokes with Stephanie Dellaquilla flicking a shot to the left side of the cage that was denied by a nice diving save from Wilkes' freshman goalkeeper
Lindsey Davenport (Dallas, Pa./Dallas). McKay would give the Lady Colonels a 1-0 lead when she calmly beat Greyhounds goalkeeper Maura Acox to the left side.
After Vita Ranella for Moravian missed, junior
Brittany Sines (Afton, N.Y./Afton Central) for Wilkes was able to score to make the tally 2-0 in the Lady Colonel's favor. The count would stay at 2-0 after both of the third shooters were unable to score.
In the fourth round, Davenport stopped Samantha Bell before sophomore
Alyson Paulauskas (Shavertown, Pa./Lake-Lehman) cashed in on her attempt to make the margin 3-0 in strokes and giving the Lady Colonels a 4-3 victory for the game.
“We came out and played very strong in the first ten minutes, but then after we scored, we sat back on our heels, so to speak. However, we came back strong and I was very pleased with the way we finished. We just need to learn to play the entire 70 minutes,” commented Myers.
Acox made 15 saves in goal for the Greyhounds in the losing effort, while Davenport stopped two shots for Wilkes, but came up with a few big plays in penalty strokes to earn her first collegiate victory.
“Lindsey did an amazing job as she was very consistent during penalty strokes,” Myers said.
The Lady Colonels will return to action on Wednesday, September 3rd when they travel to Selinsgrove to take on Susquehanna in non-conference action starting at 7 p.m.
