HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata field hockey team came back to win 2-1 against visiting Goucher on Senior Day, Saturday afternoon at Knox Stadium.
The Gophers found the back of the cage on a loose ball in close following a corner to take a 1-0 lead, five minutes into the game.
The Eagles turned up the pressure from there, as they completely controlled the second quarter, taking five shots of their own while limiting the Gophers to zero shots. Juniata spent most of the second quarter on Goucher's side of the field as they created several chances on top of the four shots before Miranda Madara (Bernville, Pa. / Hamburg Area HS) found an equalizer. The junior forward ran onto a long pass in the left corner, beat a defender, dribbled across the goal before pushing the ball past the keeper to tie things at one.
Juniata went into the half holding a seven to two edge in shots while Goucher had the advantage in penalty corners, three to two.
The third quarter saw JC again control the run of play, with Madara causing all sorts of issues for the Goucher defense, forcing the Gopher keeper into two saves in the opening 12 minutes of the quarter. Kalee Rothermel (Winfield, Pa. / Selinsgrove) had two shots go just wide of the goal, while Hanne Scheel (Furlong, Pa. / Central Bucks West HS) lifted a shot just over the goal off a corner.
In the 43rd minute, Lillian Case (Reading, Pa / Wilson High School) set up Brooke Franke (Shermans Dale, Pa. / West Perry HS) for what wound up being the game-winner.
Brittney McMullen (Shade Gap, Pa. / Southern Huntingdon) had to make two saves in the fourth quarter to help the Eagles preserve the win; while the Eagle offense had chances, they could not put away any of their six shots.
Juniata will travel to Washington and Jefferson in non-conference action Wednesday at 7:00.
