A slippery field wasn’t enough to stop the women’s field hockey team last Saturday as the ‘Jackets trounced the Utica College Pioneers, 5-1, to the exuberance of an energetic UR crowd. This is the ‘Jackets’ third victory in their last four games and Utica’s first loss in three.
Freshman forward Anna Dobrzynski scored the first goal of the game 17 minutes in unassisted and from five yards out to give the ‘Jackets a lead that would last throughout the duration of play.
Seven minutes later, freshman forward Allison Beardsley helped UR extend its lead to 2-0 with a goal by tipping in a shot from junior defender Christi Bottcher.
Freshman defender Shayna McKie led a second-half charge with two goals in a quick seven-minute period. The first was again off a shot by Bottcher, who earned her second assist of the game.
McKie’s second goal came six minutes after a goal by Utica’s Sarah Keller. McKie’s goal extended the ‘Jackets’ lead to 4-1, a hurdle Utica would find to be insurmountable.
Junior forward Lara Bucarey added insult to injury with a graceful lift from the inner edge of the circle after a pass by senior defender Erica Gelb, giving the game its final score of 5-1.
Junior goalie Danielle Pearson had three saves in the game. Utica’s goalie Amanda McDonnell made nine saves throughout the 70 minutes.
UR outshot the Pioneers by 13 totaling 23 shots in all and had six penalty shots to Utica’s five.
Tensions ran high on both sides of the field. The intensity of the game was amplified when players started taking shots at one another. Junior forward Amanda Case nailed a Utica player in the face with a lift on Utica’s side of the field, and Bottcher took out another Utica player with a shot to her leg. One of Utica’s players attempted to retaliate with a seemingly premeditated shot to Bottcher’s face, but she missed.
Yesterday, against Houghton College, the ‘Jackets extended their winning streak with a 5-0 rout of the visiting team. Beardsley put UR ahead early in the first half, notching an unassisted goal nine minutes into the game. Bottcher logged two goals and an assist in the game, and Erica Gelb scored one and assisted two goals for the ‘Jackets. Dobrzynski rounded off the list of UR scorers.
Bottcher, Bucarey, Mckie and Case lead the Yellowjackets on the season with three goals apiece.
UR dominated on all cylinders, outshooting Houghton, 24-3, and taking 18 penalty corners to their five.
Pearson earned the shutout in goal, making two saves in 67 minutes between the pipes.
UR resumes play this weekend, taking on Hartwick College at 11 a.m. in Fauver Stadium. The ‘Jackets are 5-2.
Epstein is a member of the class of 2010.
