HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata field hockey team secured their first victory of the 2023 season in commanding fashion, beating Allegheny College 4-1 on Saturday afternoon.
Four players each scored a goal apiece for the Eagles, including Kaylyn Walters, Sydney Witter, Tess Ledeboer, and Colleen Creneti. Ledeboer had two assists, while Sierra Rossman had one off a penalty corner. Juniata scored two goals from penalty corners, as the Eagles converted two of seven chances.
The first period saw only one shot across the sides, leading to Juniata's first goal in the 11th minute. Aimee Buffington's penalty corner was fed to Ledeboer, who passed to her right to Walters. Walters fired 15 yards out, beating the goalkeeper at the bottom-right corner.
The second period saw three shots from Juniata, including two from Witter and one from Ledeboer, but they were all either saved or blocked. The Juniata defense didn't allow a shot despite two Gators penalty corners.
The Eagles took full command of the game in the third period with a pair of goals. The first came from Ledeboer in the 39th minute, as she took advantage of space left by Gators defenders and threaded the ball past the charging keeper to the right. The Eagles struck with the third just two minutes later, as Ledeboer drew the keeper away from goal on the left side and passed the ball back to centrally-positioned Witter for an open shot.
Goal four came in the 53rd minute when a Rossman penalty corner was passed to Creneti on the left-hand side for a high-pace shot from 15 yards out.
Amanda Puza kept the scoreline at 4-0 when she went the right way, diving to her right on a penalty shot. Allegheny was able to break the shutout late, as a ball was put past the keeper from ten yards out to the left corner.
The Eagles created triple the shots of the Gators, outshooting them 14-4. Brittney McMullen didn't face a shot in 30 minutes of service to start, while Puza saved one of two shots on goal.
Juniata takes a breath following two games in two days, as they continue their homestand on Wednesday, September 6th, at 7:00 p.m. against Wilson College.
