Washington and Lee's home turf is always a tough place to play field hockey, and the Royals were the latest victims Wednesday night, dropping a critical 4-1 decision to the Generals.  The loss sends EMU to 2-3 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and from fourth into a three-way tie for fifth in the league standings.

Only the top six teams make the postseason tournament, and the women have now losses to both of the other teams in the tie, Roanoke and W&L, and would lose a tie-breaker to either of them.

The game with the Generals had originally been scheduled for Tuesday night, but rain had forced the postponement to a chillier, but drier, Wednesday.  The women were also playing without injured senior Camille Williams (Media, Pa./Delaware County Christian).  The senior was tied for the ODAC lead in goals (11) and second in points (25) when she was hurt late in Saturday's 3-1 win over Virginia Wesleyan.

Washington and Lee dominated the opening half, out-shooting EMU 15-2 over the first 35 minutes.  The home team scored twice in the first 10 minutes, before making it 3-0 in the 32nd minute.

The Royals came out much better in the second half, winning two corners early.  Melissa Cox (Mountville, Pa./Hempfield) picked up a deflected ball near the top of the circle and slapped home her third goal of the season in the 41st minute.

EMU pounded three more shots over the next five minutes, and had two more point blank chances in the 57th, but the Generals hit the cage in the 58th minute to make it 4-1 and put the game away.

The Royals had an 8-6 edge in shots in the second half, but trailed 21-10 for the game.  Goalie Hannah Daley (Lothian, Md./Southern) made 10 saves, her sixth double digit effort of the season.  Jenessa Derstine (Harleysville, Pa./Christopher Dock) topped EMU with five shots, including three on goal.

Now 3-11 overall, the women come home for three straight, starting this Saturday when they host Randolph-Macon at 1:00pm.