Late stroke gives Crusaders 3-2 win

WAYNE, N.J. – A penalty stroke in the final three minutes of regulation was the difference as the Susquehanna field hockey team (7-11, 1-4 LC) defeated William Paterson (10-6) 3-2 Wednesday.

The Pioneers struck first when Meghan Hall poked in a rebound 10:37 into the contest for an early 1-0 edge. However, Susquehanna got the goal back 19 minutes later, when Christine Ottley (West Chester, Pa./Unionville) finished the rebound of an Andrea Fiori (West Trenton, N.J./Lawrenceville School) shot off of a broken corner play, making it a 1-1 score.

Danielle Herbek found the back of the cage on a thru-ball by Chelsea Winkelspecht 3:20 into the second period, again giving the Pioneers a one-goal lead. But the Crusaders had an answer with 10:50 to play in regulation, when Jenelle Anthony (Saylorsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) connected on an Ottley pass to tie the game at 2-2.

The Crusaders were awarded a penalty stroke with 2:43 remaining in the contest. Winkelspecht went from her forward position into the goal to defend, but Anthony scored her second goal of the night with a well-placed ball to the upper-left corner, breaking the deadlock and winning the game for Susquehanna.

Junior goalie Lyndsay Meabon (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern) had four stops for the Crusaders, while Pioneer goalie Christina Auger made five.