HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Sophomore Kortney Showers (Aspers, Pa./Biglerville) scored three back-to-back goals in the first half of Juniata College's 7-0 win over Goucher College Saturday afternoon for her first collegiate hat trick. It was the Eagles first conference game of the season and they improved to 5-4 (1-0 Landmark) with the win.
Juniata remains undefeated (6-0) all-time against Goucher (4-5, 0-2 Landmark) and have outscored the Gophers 24-1 in their last four meetings.
The Eagles controlled the game from the start. Junior Emma Dahmus (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) opened scoring in the 18th minute. She took the ball into the circle after a corner and strong-armed it into the back of the cage off a pass from senior Caroline Phillips (Wilmington, Del./Concord).
Showers picked up her first goal of the season three minutes later off a save by Goucher goalie Demi Huffman. Her second goal came in the 25th minute off a pass from junior Morgan Slovin (Hockessin, Del./Charter School). Showers and Slovin connected again before the half. Huffman saved a shot from Slovin straight into the waiting stick of Showers who completed her hat trick in the 30th minute.
Phillips was the Eagles leading scorer in the second half. She stopped a pass from Showers off a corner two minutes after the break and sent it into the cage for her first goal of the day. Showers finished with three goals on three shots with one assist for seven points.
Freshmen Allison Groft (Hanover, Pa./Southern Western) and Steph Pagliaro (Duncannon, Pa./Susquenita) joined in the action in the 40th minute. Groft took a lead pass from Pagliaro through the legs of the goalie to score her second goal of the year.
Groft then assisted Phillips in the final goal of the day in the 48th minute. She inserted the ball on a corner and Phillips ripped a hard shot from just inside the top of the circle for her fifth goal of the season.
Juniata outshot Goucher 25-2 (20-1 on goal) in the game and earned 19 corners to the Gophers two. Eagle goalkeepers senior Janelle Howard (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) and sophomore Julianne Jones (Middleburg, Pa./Midd-West) split time evenly in the win.
The Eagles hit the road next on a four-game stint starting at Susquehanna on Oct. 3 before returning home to face Alvernia on Oct. 13. Juniata will be honoring a fallen member of the field hockey family who lost their battle with pancreatic cancer earlier this year. They will be hosting a pancreatic cancer awareness week in honor of John Price, father of Paula Price ('11), educating about the disease and fundraising during their Oct. 13 and Oct. 20 games.
40th Anniversary Celebration, Alumni Game Deemed Successful
Juniata College celebrated 40 years of Eagle field hockey Saturday afternoon. A host of alumni and fans were present to join the current student-athletes in celebrating the programs successful past. Juniata has won four conference titles in the past five years and has an all-time record over .500. The Eagles shutout win of Washington & Jefferson (Sept. 27) was the 300th win in program history. In the past 10 years, Juniata has averaged over 14 wins per season and won 67 percent of its games.
During halftime of the Goucher game, Juniata recognized Katelyn Bowman ('12) for becoming the first Eagle field hockey player to be named an Academic All-American. The Seven Valleys, Pa. native held a 3.98 cumulative GPA during her last season of field hockey and graduated with a degree in biology.
Once official competition ended for the day, the Alums took their turn at the current Eagles on the field.
"Nothing like a good game of hockey," said Billie Haines ('05), the oldest participant in the grudge match.
Senior goalkeeper Janelle Howard (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) was the honorary Eagle head coach while Head Coach Caroline Gillich officiated the alumni game.
"It's my first year as head coach and I'm very excited," said Howard. "It's great to have the girls back to play. You have a lot of All-Americans and all-time scorers so our defense held strong."
Both teams played tough through 20 minutes before the flurry of goals starter. It was the Alums who struck first. Brittany Kauffman ('12) passed down to Kim Wagner ('08) who deflected to Kara Boda ('12) in front of the goalie. Boda slipped the ball in on the back side put the Alums up 1-0.
The Eagles responded two minutes later with an unassisted goal by freshman Katie Landis (Wyomissing, Pa./Wyomissing). Freshman Allison Groft (Hanover, Pa./Southern Western) then gave the Eagles the 2-0 lead one minute later after that on an unassisted goal of her own.
Paula Price ('11) tied the game at 2-2 on a pass from Erin Smith ('09) one minute later. The sides remained deadlocked for the remaining 10 minutes of play bringing the decision down to 1v1.
The Alums chose Leslie (Stern) Freeman ('08), Michelle (Campbell) Krall ('08), Smith, Price and Wagner to represent them. The Eagles relied on junior Morgan Slovin (Hockessin, Del./Charter School), senior Caroline Phillips (Wilmington, Del./Concord), sophomore Mikaela Sloan (State College, Pa./State College), freshman Steph Pagliaro (Duncannon, Pa./Susquenita) and Groft to bring home the win.
The Eagles would win 2-1 after Phillips and Sloan converted on their 1v1 opportunities. Wagner was the only Alum to find the back of the cage.
Abby Frank ('09) and Denalyn Spratt ('10) were the goalies for the Alums and sophomores Julianne Jones (Middleburg, Pa./Midd-West) and Shelby Miller (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) were in the cage for the Eagles.
Alumni Game Participants
Billie Haines '05
Sarah Bender '07
Michelle Campbell Krall '08
Ashleigh Ehnts '08
Lindsay LaPrad '08
Leslie Stern Freeman '08
Kim Wagner '08
Abby Funk '09
Erin Smith '09
Melissa Gorman '10
Denalyn Spratt '10
Dani Stump '10
Paula Price '11
Katelyn Bowman '12
Kara Buda '12
Brittany Kauffman '12
