SELINSGROVE, PA – The Susquehanna University field hockey team had plenty to play for on Sunday in a non-conference matchup against #11 Lynchburg. The game was a part of the program's annual Connie Harnum Memorial Game, geared this year to raise funds for alopecia awareness, with September serving as Alopecia Awareness Month. Despite a 1-1 tie at halftime, the visiting Hornets put up two third-quarter goals to make the difference in a 3-1 decision.
One day after the River Hawks paid back coach
Allison Fordyce in kind with a 5-1 Landmark win at Wilkes for the eighth-year head coach's 100
th career win, Susquehanna put on a gritty performance in a matchup of defending conference champions, Susquehanna the Landmark and Lynchburg the ODAC. After the Hornets opened the scoring early in the first quarter off a Madison Mark goal three minutes in, the River Hawks responded with a great chance off a penalty corner minutes later. They carefully moved the ball around the net, with
Lauren Leibensperger crossing one right-to-left in the box, which
Mady Quigley got a stick on and tapped it through the cage to tie things up at one.
The score remained the same through a scoreless second quarter and halftime, but Lynchburg came back with two swift goals in the third period to take control of the game. Just over six minutes into the third Jill Pleiter put the Hornets ahead of an Olivia Van Metre assist to make the score 2-1. About four minutes later Lynchburg was given a penalty stroke opportunity, which Tatum Humphries took advantage of for a 3-1 lead to wrap up the third period and ultimately serve as the final score of the match.
Susquehanna goalie
Ashley Derrick presided in goal the first three quarters, while sophomore
Taytum Lombardi came on in the fourth. Derrick finished with five saves on the day, while Lombardi had two in the fourth quarter. Shots were plentiful on both sides, with Lynchburg holding a 16-11 lead in shots and 11-8 in shots on goal. The River Hawks held the lead in penalty corners, 7-2, with Lynchburg being green-carded twice in the contest on a day where the Hornets were stung committing 57 fouls.
The field hockey program thanks everyone for coming out on Sunday to pay tribute to former coach Connie Harnum, who led the team for 27 seasons and brought the program their first three NCAA Tournament berths. She passed away in 2011 after a brave fight with cancer. Her memory lives on in the spirit of the field hockey program and everyone in the Susquehanna University community.
The River Hawks take their show back out on the road this Wednesday when they travel to face Haverford for a 7 p.m. start. Beginning Saturday the program is home for four straight games, starting with Landmark-foe Lycoming at 1 p.m.
