WASHINGTON, Pa. – Four second half goals propelled the Washington & Jefferson College field hockey team to a 4-2 victory over visiting Transylvania University in North Coast Athletic Conference play at Alexandre Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Capriana Romano (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) played a pivotal role in the offensive output by finishing with two goals and an assist in the victory.
Avery Byard (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) and
Jessica Nakanishi (Susanville, Calif./Lassen) registered a goal apiece while
Bella Updyke (Canonsburg, Pa./Peters Township) picked up an assist.
Grace Erhard (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) secured the victory in the cage with three saves over 60 minutes.
Following a brief delay due to heavy rain that pushed through Washington in the early morning, the two teams played through a scoreless first half.
The visiting Pioneers put three shots on goal and recorded three penalty corners during the opening 30 minutes. Erhard's play in the cage coupled with some sturdy defense allowed the Presidents to keep the Pioneers off the board in the first two quarters.
Both teams found their offensive rhythm during the second half. The Presidents broke through with a pair of goals under the final five minutes of the third quarter. Romano finished in front of the cage, taking a pass from Updyke and burying it into the back of the cage for the game's first goal.
A little more than two minutes later, W&J struck again to extend the lead to 2-0.
Tessa Charpentier (Eighty Four, Pa./Bentworth) set up the score with a pass in front of the cage from the right of the circle. Romano then deflected it over to Byard who was able to score her first goal of the season.
Transylvania closed the gap with a goal midway through the fourth quarter. W&J answered quickly to regain the multi-goal advantage, as Romano stole the ball from a Transy defender and beat the goalie to the low left side of the cage. The Pioneers refused to go away, as the visitors scored just 41 seconds later to cut the deficit to 3-2. The Presidents put the game away with a final score late in the fourth. After earning a penalty corner opportunity, Nakanishi snuck a score into the back of the cage for her second goal of the year.
W&J hosts John Carroll University for a conference match on Saturday (Sept. 26). Start time is scheduled for 12 p.m. in Washington, Pa.
