Box Score With playoff seeding on the line Thursday night in Harrisonburg, the EMU field hockey women came up big, taking a 5-2 win from Roanoke. The season-ending win also clinched the No. 4 seed in the ODAC Tournament, giving Eastern Mennonite a home date with No. 5 Bridgewater in the quarterfinals Saturday afternoon.
With a 5-3 mark in ODAC play, EMU tied for third with Virginia Wesleyan and Bridgewater College. Based on head-to-head tie-breakers, the Marlins claimed the No. 3 seed in the tourney, followed by EMU and the Eagles.
The first seven minutes of the game sailed by with few whistles and no shots. Then after a foul from outside of the top of the circle, Nicole Bencsik (Telford, PA/Souderton) dribbled up the right side and punched a shot past the goalie. Bencsik's tenth goal of the season made it 1-0 just 7:15 into the game.
EMU struck again in the 23rd minute. Jenessa Derstine (Harleysville, PA/Christopher Dock) took a shot that beat the goalie, but a Maroon defender was there for the save. Bencsik then swooped in and knocked in the ball for a 2-0 edge.
Roanoke made a surge late in the half and earned a penalty corner just before time expired. Lianna Hachborn made the women pay by caging a goal to make it 2-1 at the break.
Scoring picked up in the second, triggered by Michelle Zook (Allensville, PA/Belleville Mennonite) just over three minutes in. The freshman made it 3-1 with an assist from Derstine. Three minutes later, Derstine got her own goal off a pass from Becca Longenecker (Lancaster, PA/Conestoga Valley).
Kelly Finn scored for Roanoke another three minutes later, cutting the advantage to 4-2. But in the 57th minute Adriana Santiago (Souderton, PA/Christopher Dock) put the lead back at three, hitting with an assist from Derstine.
As a strong north wind made the temperature feel increasingly colder, the scoring stopped and EMU cruised to the win.
The Lady Royals had a commanding 23-7 edge in shots, including 14-4 on goal. Attacker Bencsik and Derstine led the balanced effort, with Bencsik scoring twice and Derstine getting one goal and two assists.
The women also had a 9-4 advantage in penalty corners.
Eastern Mennonite beat Bridgewater 5-2 on the road this season. The quarterfinal match on Saturday, which starts at 2:00pm, is a replay of the same situation from the 2010 Tournament, which EMU won 2-1. Also like last year, the winner will advance to take on top-seeded Lynchburg College next Wednesday.
Click here to see the full ODAC Tournament Bracket.
