Stevens Shuts Down Nazareth 2-0 in Field Hockey Semifinal
HOBOKEN, N.J. (November 6, 2010) – The Stevens Institute of Technology field hockey team cruised to a 2-0 win over Nazareth College on Saturday afternoon at the De Baun Athletic Complex in the first semifinal of the Empire 8 Field Hockey Championship. Sophomore Mary Nikish and senior Karen Federico tallied the Stevens goals. The Ducks will take on Washington & Jefferson College in the title game for a third-straight season as the Presidents defeated Utica College in the second semifinal by a score of 3-2.
Stevens (9-10 overall) dominated this game from start to finish, holding Naz to zero shots on goal and three total attempts over the entire 70 minutes of game time. The Ducks, who took 21 shots on the afternoon, doubled the Golden Flyers (7-9 overall) in penalty corners, 18-9, and senior goalkeeper Ellyn Griggs recorded her 18th career shutout and fourth of the season. The 18 shutouts is a new Stevens record.
Stevens started knocking on Nazareth’s door from the opening tap and broke through in the eighth minute. After a penalty corner, junior captain Mallory Swanson received the ball, held for a few moments before crossing across the mouth of the goal to Nikish who beat Naz goalie Kelsey Evans (Penfield, N.Y.) for her fourth goal of the season.
The Ducks would continue to apply the pressure but ended up going into the locker room with a 1-0 lead and all the momentum.
Early in the second half, Federico tallied her first goal of the season to give the Ducks some breathing room. Sophomore back Samantha Weisman passed into the right side of the circle and Federico ripped a shot from right to left into the left side of the goal for the score. The assist was the second of 2010 for Weisman.
Evans made eight saves in the loss for Nazareth as Stevens put 10 of its 21 shots on net.
W&J (16-3 overall) got a late goal on a rebound from senior Julianne Zackey (Easton, Pa.) to break a 2-2 deadlock and lift the Presidents to the conference final. Stevens has won the last four meetings between two schools including a 2-1 overtime win earlier this year and a victory in last year’s conference final.