By: Jennifer Jones
Director of Sports Information
jonesj@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
HUNTINGDON, Pa. – The Juniata College field hockey team came out to a strong start in the 2013 season with a 4-2 win over Wesley College Friday night in Knox Stadium. Senior Emma Dahmus (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) netted her second collegiate hat trick, scoring three goals in the first half, all within a 14-minute span.
"That feels great," said Juniata head coach Caroline Gillich of the win. "It was a very exciting game. We started out on fire for sure and then the fire started catching up with us. Things really heated up and luckily we are deep. Very, very deep in pretty much every position."
Dahmus sent her rocketed her first shot of the season into the back of the cage off a corner from sophomore Sarah Bilheimer (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) just 5:18 into the game. Two minutes later, she battled through defenders in front of the cage to earn her second goal.
The eventual game winner came with 16:16 left in the half. Dahmus took a pass from sophomore Steph Pagliaro (Duncannon, Pa./Susquenita) just outside the stroke line and pushed it past Sarah Daniels to complete the hat trick.
"Emma had a great day out the gates, not waiting long to get her first hat trick in her senior year," said Gillich. "She decided day one would be a great day to do it, and I agree."
The Eagles defense held Wesley scoreless for over 35 minutes. With time expiring in the first half, Wesley earned two corners with under 20 seconds left. Juniata batted the ball away both times, but committed a foul on the second that forced a corner opportunity for the Wolverines with no time on the clock. Wesley played through and picked up their first goal of the season to end the shutout.
Wesley picked up its second goal just 10 minutes after the break on a cross that threaded the defense, pulling them within one, 3-2.
Junior Shelby Miller (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) returned to the cage in the second half and immediately made an impact. After a foul just outside the cage gave Wesley a penalty stroke, Miller stayed focused, dove and knocked the shot away, preserving the lead and preventing the game-tying goal with under 10 minutes to play.
Juniata's defense shut the Wolverines down the rest of the game, allowing just three shots for the remainder of regulation.
The Eagles were forced to play down a defender when a green card was issued with 7:02 left and the offense stepped up. Bilheimer went on the attack in the open field. She dribbled from 40 yards out through two defenders and made a quick 1-on-1 move with the goalie. She eventually dove to the right and tapped the ball in around Kayla Fromal to put Juniata up 3-1.
Wesley (0-1) made a push in the final minute forcing two penalty corners. But the Eagles held on for the win.
Juniata is back home again tomorrow night. The Eagles take on Dickinson College at 5:30 p.m.
"Dickinson is always a good battle," added Gillich. "We've never played them early on. So we are definitely excited to see what an early on Dickinson team looks like. It's certainly going to be a battle."
This is the 35th meeting between Juniata and Dickinson since the programs started battling in 1973. Juniata has won the past two meetings at home and gone 3-1 against the Red Devils in the last four years.
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