Sacred Heart University Department of Athletics
Rider
Pioneers Fall to Rider in NEC Field Hockey Semis, 2-0
11/7/2008 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Nov. 7, 2008
Lock Haven, PA - Senior forward Tricia Crotty scored her tenth goal of the season to break a scoreless tie in the 58th minute of a 2-0 NEC field hockey semifinal victory over No. 3 Sacred Heart.
Fresh off receiving the NEC Rookie of the Year award at Thursday's championship banquet, Rider freshman Virginia Egusquiza provided insurance by converting a penalty stroke in the 64th minute.
The Broncs couldn't cash in on any of their six first-half penalty corners as the two sides played to a draw. Rider nearly cashed in on its first corner of the match, but Sacred Heart sophomore midfielder Jessica Garcia (Freehold, NJ) swept away a dangerous shot.
Rider appeared poised to break through in the 54th minute. Crotty brought the ball up the left side before finding senior Diana Celebre all alone in front of the goal mouth, but the senior forward sent it right into goalie Whitney Mills' (Harrisburg, PA) pads before the keeper smothered the rebound.
With play headed back the other way, three-time all-NEC first teamer Carisa Eye (Nesconset, NY/Smithtown) fired a hard shot from the top of the circle that Johnson kicked away for one of her two saves. The shot was only one of two Eye managed all afternoon as the Broncs' defense kept the 2008 NEC Offensive Player of the Year off the board, a rare occurrence for the conference's leading goal scorer.
Being outshot 5-1 in the opening half, Sacred Heart responded by firing ten shots toward the cage in the second session. Midfielders Melissa Mazin (Putnam Valley, NY) and Dana Luhrs (Milford, PA) each took three shots a piece as the Pioneers finished with 11 to Rider's 12.
Aiming for its first NEC crown since 2004, Rider takes on the Lock Haven in the championship game Sunday.
