Wilkes Field Hockey Opens MAC Freedom Play with Win at Eastern
ST. DAVID'S, Pa. – After surrendering a two-goal lead early in the fourth quarter, a 54th-minute goal from Lauren Baldwin (Clarks Summit, PA/Lackawanna Trail) served as the game-winner as the Wilkes University field hockey team opened Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) play with a 3-2 victory at Eastern University on Saturday morning.
The Colonels are now 1-0 in conference and 7-4 overall.
In the third minute, Baldwin took a shot that beat the Eagles defender but was stopped by a defender for a defensive save with the rebound rolling to Julia Kiss (Bangor, PA/Bangor) for a put-back goal to give Wilkes an early lead.
Morghan Murphy (Mountaintop, PA/Crestwood) added her 10th goal of the season, ranking second in the conference, with an assist from Baldwin in the 14th minute. The score remained the same throughout the second quarter, however, Eastern began to up the pressure as goalkeeper Vanessa Damgaard (Elysburg, PA/Columbia Montour Area Vocational Technical School) made five saves to keep the lead intact. Wilkes caught a break in the 20th minute when an Eagle shot got past Damgaard but hit the post and stayed out of the cage.
Eastern got on the board in the 45th minute when it was awarded a penalty corner as time expired, cashing it in to cut the lead to 2-1.
Baldwin helped out on the defensive end in the 47th minute when she was credited with a defensive save.
The Eagles tied the score in the 48th minute on a penalty stroke tally.
Baldwin finished the scoring with an unassisted score.
Eastern came within inches of re-tying the score late in the game; Maura Hensel (Selinsgrove, PA/Selinsgrove) made a defensive save in the 56th minute while another Eagle shot hit the post in the 57th minute but the Colonels were able to clamp down and secure the victory.
Damgaard made eight saves in the cage for Wilkes.
Wilkes returns to action Wednesday when it will host Elizabethtown College for a non-conference game beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Schmidt Stadium.
