UTICA, N.Y. (November 3, 2012) – The Stevens Institute of Technology field hockey team rolled to a 5-1 win over Washington & Jefferson College in the semifinals of the Empire 8 Field Hockey Championship Saturday afternoon at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium in Utica, N.Y. The top-seeded Ducks improved to 13-6 overall and will battle the winner of the second-seeded Utica College and third-seeded St. John Fisher College matchup slated for a 2:30 p.m. start.
The high-powered Stevens offense struck early, opening a 1-0 margin three minutes in. With the Presidents (11-8) in control deep in the Stevens zone, junior midfielder
Chelsea Cresci (Wilmington, Del.) gained possession and quickly switched the field. Cresci found freshman
Dailyn Brook (Cherry Hill, N.J.) inside of midfield on the left side and several nifty touches later, Brook found junior forward
Marguerite Chavez (Oceanport, N.J.) wide-open in front for her 14th goal of the season.
W&J generated a pair of corners right after the Ducks’ first score, getting a great chance when junior back
Tori Patrick (State College, Pa.) hammered an insert from sophomore midfielder
Catherine Beaudoin (Barkhamsted, Conn.) wide left by less than a foot.
After withstanding the Presidents’ strong push, the Ducks opened a 2-0 margin 14:35 in when Chavez angled into the right side of the circle. The junior tossed a shot on goal that sophomore midfielder
Jillian Fiebel (Roxbury, N.J.) redirected to Brook on the left post for her 11th of the season.
The lead expanded to three (3-0) 6:40 later. Stevens continued to pound away deep inside W&J territory and after Fiebel just missed on the right post, freshman
Erin Silvestri (Beverly, Mass.) fed Fiebel on that same post for her ninth of the year.
W&J had a nice chance late in the first but a pair of shots from senior forward
Erin Barno (Camp Hill, Pa.) were saved by senior goalie
Kaitlin McClymont (Corpus Christi, Texas), the second of which was a diving stop that resulted in a penalty corner. Again it was Patrick receiving an insert from Beaudoin but this time latter had her shot saved by McClymont.
Stevens’ fourth goal came after a penalty corner 6:35 into the second period. Junior back
Megan Traub (Berkeley Heights, N.J.) received the insert from Chavez. The initial shot was saved by freshman goalie
Morgan Brozena (Telford, Pa.) as was the first rebound, but Fiebel stuck with it in front, netting her second of the game and 10th of the season.
Despite the large deficit, the Presidents continued to battle, generating a number of strong chances in front and off penalty corners. Barno had a couple of nice bids but McClymont was up to the task, making four stops over a span of six minutes and junior back
Grace Ridge (Moorestown, N.J.) earned a defensive save on the right side of the circle.
Sophomore midfielder
Melanie Beddow (San Diego, Calif.) recorded the first goal of her career to give Stevens a 5-0 advantage. Fiebel carried deep into the right side of the circle and passed in front. The play was originally broken up by Brozena, but Beddow fought to regain control, had her first shot saved, but lifted the rebound into the left side of the cage.
W&J scored the afternoon’s final marker when senior midfielder
Elizabeth Herb (Pittsburgh, Pa.) converted a penalty stroke with 4:17 in regulation.
The Ducks ended the contest with a 14-6 margin in shots, while the President’s finished with a 12-11 edge in penalty corners. McClymont made nine saves with W&J keepers Brozena and freshman
Kira Bunker (Magnolia, Del.) combining for six.
The top-seeded Ducks will play third-seeded Fisher or second-seeded Utica Sunday at 2:30 p.m. for the E8 title and an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Field Hockey Tournament. Stevens will be vying for its fourth trip to the national tournament and fourth conference title in the past four years. The Ducks are now 7-1 in their last eight Empire 8 tourney games.
Fiebel finished with five points (two goals, one assist), with Brook getting three (one goal, one assist). Herb had two points for W&J, and senior Meaghan Thornlow (Hudson. Ohio) recorded a defensive save.
The Ducks were the regular-season Empire 8 Champion after finishing 7-0 but were unable to host the tournament in Hoboken due to complications from Hurricane Sandy.
Fans unable to get to Utica to watch the game can view all the action live at
www.Empire8.tv.
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