W&J wins second E8 Field Hockey title with 3-1 win over Utica
WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson field hockey defeated Utica by a 3-1 margin to clinch the second Empire 8 Conference Field Hockey championship in program history, first since 2011, on Saturday, Nov. 4.
The Presidents run their overall record to 13-4 this season and have earned the E8's automatic bid into the 2017 NCAA Division III playoffs. The full NCAA Division III Field Hockey playoff bracket will be released on Sunday night, Nov. 5, 10:30 p.m. at
http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/fieldhockey/d3.
With the score tied, 1-1, in the second half,
Ashley Overton (Fredericksburg, Va./Colonial Forge) gained control of a loose ball deep inside the Utica circle. Overton quickly sent a no-look, back-handed pass to
Jenna Jaworski (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) in front of the cage who knocked the ball in for the game-winning goal.
In the 62nd minute,
Rachel Buyan (Huntington Beach, Calif./Edison) tallied her third goal of the weekend to extend the W&J lead to 3-1. Buyan took a penalty corner and sent the ball to the top of the circle to
Claire Shaak (Myerstown, Pa./Eastern Lebanon County) who tapped the ball to her right to Jaworski who passed back to Buyan in the middle of the circle.
The Presidents were able to gain the first lead of the game in the 12th minute as
Sofiya Bobrovnikova (Philadelphia, Pa./Northeast) tallied her first goal of her career after receiving a pass in front of the cage from Overton.
The lone Utica score in the match came in the 33rd minute to tie it up just before halftime.
With one goal and one assist on five shots in the game, Buyan ran her point total to eight (three goals, two assists) for the two-day tournament to earn MVP honors following the win.
Overton tallied three shots and put two on goal as she finished with a pair of assists while Jaworski finished with one goal and an assist on two shots.
Karlie Baran (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Liberty) earned her 13th win of the season as she stopped four out of five Utica shots in the contest, the 15th consecutive game in which she allowed one goal or less.
The Presidents outshot the Pioneers by a 15-14 margin and held a 6-5 edge in shots on goal.