Stevens Advances to ECAC Mid-Atlantic Semis with 4-0 Win Over William Paterson
The Stevens Institute of Technology field hockey team advanced to the semifinals of the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Mid-Atlantic Championship with a 4-0 shutout of William Paterson University Wednesday night at the De Baun Athletic Complex.
Stevens improves to 13-7 overall, while William Paterson ends its season at 10-10.
William Paterson came out strong, getting several chances, but Stevens quickly turned the tables, controlling the ball for long stretches and maintaining field position.
The Ducks jumped out to a 1-0 margin at 17:45 when senior back
Grace Ridge (Moorestown, N.J.) hammered home a straight-shot from the top-left of the circle directly off a penalty-corner-insert from senior forward
Marguerite Chavez (Oceanport, N.J.).
William Paterson had a great chance with 12:18 left in the first half when senior
Jaqui Giametta (Wayne, N.J.) beat Stukenborg with a deflected shot, but senior back
Katie Achilles (Portsmouth, N.H.) was there for the defensive save to keep Stevens on top, 1-0.
The lead moved to two goals late in the first half when a Ridge shot bounced to sophomore
Erin Silvestri (Beverly, Mass.) who notched her fourth goal of the year.
The first half ended with Stevens holding a 6-5 margin in shots and a 6-3 edge in penalty corners with each goalkeeper –
Kellye Statz (Robbinsville, N.J.) for the Pioneers and
freshman Emily Stukenborg (Stockholm, N.J.) for the Ducks – making three saves apiece.
Early in the second half William Paterson had a strong chance, but a diving stop by Stukenborg denied junior
Courtney Chelf (Blackwood, N.J.) to keep the guests off the scoreboard.
Chavez put Stevens up 3-0 3:27 with brilliant moves into and through the penalty circle, eventually pushing her shot inside the left post for her 18th goal of the season – the second most in Stevens field hockey single-season history.
Achilles had another big-time defensive save moments later, and with 24:09 on the clock, senior forward
Rachel Chavez (Oceanport, N.J.) was able to deflect in a blast from senior back
Megan Traub (Berkeley Heights, N.J.). It was the eighth tally of the season for Chavez and eighth helper for Traub.
Stevens finished with a 19-15 margin in shots and a 10-7 edge in corners. Stukenborg tallied seven saves to earn the victory for Stevens, while Achilles had a pair of defensive denials.
The Ducks will return to action against Delaware Valley College in the ECAC Mid-Atlantic semis at a site TBD. Stevens is the second seed in the tournament, and Delaware Valley is the sixth seed.