On Saturday, Sept. 27, the Elizabethtown College field hockey team took on the Wilkes University Colonels in their first Landmark Conference game of the season. The Blue Jays, coming off of two close losses with deficits only separated by one goal each, hoped to find themselves back in the win column on home turf. Wilkes had recently gone 1-3 through their last four games after winning their first five of six. The Colonels came into this contest after an overtime loss to Eastern University.
This game itself was not only important for Landmark play, but was the inaugural Fight for Sight game. The Blue Jays and the Colonels both sported black and white checkered ribbons to show their support for those with optical impairments along with selling T-shirts with all donations towards first-year Ava Ruggiro’s donation page, who is fighting against retinitis pigmentosa.
Etown started out of the gate hot, getting opportunity after opportunity on goal including eight corners in the first eight minutes of the game. Halfway through the first quarter, Wilkes conceded a penalty stroke, giving Etown an early opportunity to break open the scoring. Senior midfielder Rachel Troutman stepped up to take the penalty; however, there was too much lift on the ball as the shot went over the crossbar, causing the Wilkes bench to erupt on the sideline. The Blue Jays did not let the penalty miss halt their attacks, as at the end of the quarter they had nine total corners and Wilkes did not have much possession outside of their own half. Etown had eight shots that quarter to the Colonels’ two.
The Blue Jays’ pressure didn’t stop in the second quarter, as they continued to pile on the pressure with seven more shots against the sophomore goalkeeper Chloe Gilroy, as she had eight saves in the first half. Wilkes got the chance to have a few more opportunities in the second quarter, as they began making their way into their attacking third and getting a few opportunities inside the D. The tie finally broke after Wilkes had a chance right before the end of the half. After a pass from first-year forward Taylor Bower, first-year forward Georgia Baskett netted the first goal of the contest with 33 seconds to go in the half, putting Etown on a heavy attack for the remainder of the half and completing the connection between the former Bloomsburg high school teammates.
Wilkes changed their strategy after the halftime break, creating more attacking opportunities and getting a few more shots on goal. Etown once again tried to find the back of the net, adding another seven shots in the quarter. The Blue Jays tied the game up after a pass from senior forward Drew Bridges found junior forward Mia Fino, who sent a through pass to junior midfielder Hannah Long who finished the shot to give Etown their first score of the game.
Wilkes wouldn’t stop fighting after their lead had been cut down, finding more possession than they did during the first half. In the fourth quarter, the Colonels had only one shot, but it was all they needed as first-year forward Taylor Minick gave Wilkes the lead after a pass from first-year forward Maddie Karp. Etown tried to find opportunities in the final three minutes, including finding an advantage as Karp had acquired a green card, forcing the Colonels to be down a player for the final two minutes, but as time expired, their efforts weren’t enough as Wilkes took down the Blue Jays at home. Etown finished the game as a team with 19 penalty corners and 27 total shots including 17 shots on goal. For Wilkes, their goalkeeper Gilroy finished the game with 16 saves. Long led the Blue Jays on offense, providing six shots on goal, scoring one of them, and netting a total of nine shots. Bridges, with her assist, improved her team-leading point total to nine on the season, tacking on eight shots including five shots on goal for the Blue Jays.
Elizabethtown moves to 2-6 on the season and 0-1 in conference play. The Blue Jays will play their next matchup against Landmark Conference opponent Juniata College at home on Oct. 6. For more information about Ava and how the team has come together for this cause, check out the article located in the Features section.
