The EMU field hockey women couldn't dig out of an early hole Tuesday night, falling at home to ODAC rival Lynchburg by a final of 5-3.  Despite tying for their second-highest offensive output of the season, the Royals fall to 1-1 in conference play.

The Hornets stung early, scoring in the 11th and 15th minutes for a 2-0 lead.  The women regrouped quickly, with Camille Williams (Media, Pa./Delaware County Christian) hitting the cage in the 17th minute on a rebounded shot to make it 2-1.  The teams then traded momentum swings before LC got a big break shortly before halftime, slapping in a goal in the 33rd minute to take a 3-1 edge into intermission.

Lynchburg made it 4-1 in the 46th minute, but Eastern Mennonite again came right back.  Just a minute after LC's goal, Williams fed freshman Emily Augsburger (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) who nailed a long shot through traffic for her first collegiate goal.  In the 54th minute, Jenessa Derstine (Harleysville, Pa./Christopher Dock) caught the Hornets off-guard by flipping the ball over the goalie's head and into the cage, slicing the deficit to one at 4-3.

As the final minutes approached, Lynchburg put the nail in the coffin with a rebounded putback in the 63rd minute, providing the final 5-3 score.

LC had a 19-13 advantage in shots, including 11-5 on goal.  Williams was the only Royal with multiple shots on goal and finished with a score and an assist.  Goalie Hannah Daley (Lothian, Md./Southern) picked up six saves between the pipes.

Now 2-9 overall, Eastern Mennonite is off for more than a week, with their next game at Roanoke on Oct. 8.

Coach Brenda Bechler talks about the loss to Lynchburg: