The Elizabethtown Blue Jays field hockey team had cemented a third place position in the Landmark Conference standings, giving themselves a home game matchup for the first round of the playoffs against the Lycoming College Warriors. The Blue Jays had come a long way up until this point, moving from 4-9 and ninth place in the standings to winning the next five games straight, coasting up six places in the process. Led by senior forward Drew Bridges with 20 goals and 51 points, leading the Landmark Conference, Etown has been on a roll, hoping to continue the momentum heading into the playoffs.
For Lycoming, the Warriors had finished the regular season 10-7, narrowly sneaking into the playoffs after Goucher College had lost their matchup on the last game of the season. The six seed had lost three of their last four matchups, including a loss to Etown in overtime at home 3-2.
Etown had gotten their fair share of opportunities early in the contest, including nine shots on goal, and while their defense held strong, holding Lycoming’s attacks to barely reaching the defensive half for the Blue Jays. Etown finally broke the game open after a plethora of attacks, as first-year forward Sara Watson tapped in the pass from first-year midfielder Sophie Myers to give Watson her fourth goal in two games and Etown a 1-0 lead to end the first quarter.
The Warriors got on the attack in the second quarter, putting some pressure on the Etown defense, putting a few shots on net. After a penalty corner was sent into the D, first-year forward Laurel Fite tied the game up at 1-1 for Lycoming, taking away the Blue Jays’ momentum and giving them an opportunity to get an upset on the road. After the slight setback, Etown and Lycoming battled back and forth, trying to find an opportunity to break the game back open. It wouldn’t come until halfway through the second quarter when Bridges scored a goal after deflecting the initial shot from junior midfielder Hannah Long into the back of the net. The Blue Jays didn’t put on the brakes after gaining the lead, as sophomore forward Meadow Keet added a brace for Etown off an assist from Watson, giving the Blue Jays a 3-1 lead heading into the halftime break.
The Blue Jay defense continued to prove to be strong into the third quarter, allowing zero shots from the Warriors while continuously providing opportunities for counter attacks from the offense. Four minutes into the third quarter, sophomore midfielder Hailey Meyer found Bridges for her second goal of the game and put her at 99 points, one off of the career milestone of 100. Etown had a few more chances through penalty corners, but the Lycoming sophomore goalkeeper Isabella Bobé held the Blue Jay lead at three as the time expired in the third quarter.
Etown continued to attack, finding another goal to give them a 5-1 lead, as junior midfielder Mia Fino scored her second goal of the season off of an assist by Myers, her second of the game. Lycoming began to find some traction with their offensive pressure, but the damage had been done and they couldn’t recover as Etown advanced to the semi-finals of the Landmark Conference playoffs, winning 5-1.
Bridges led the team with 10 shots on goal with two goals in the contest. Watson contributed a goal and an assist en route towards the playoff victory. First-year goalkeeper Emma Dupes had three saves with only one goal allowed through 60 minutes of play. The Blue Jays move on to the next round and will take on Susquehanna University on Nov. 4 on the road.
