Box Score HARRISONBURG, Va. – Play at home. Win. Repeat.
The Royals field hockey team welcomed Notre Dame (MD.) to Harrisonburg on Sunday and, as has been the case in their previous three home games, sent the Gators back to Maryland with a loss. EMU used a pair of first quarter goals and one apiece in the second, third and fourth quarters to pick up a 5-1 win and move to 4-2 on the season.
Highlights
- EMU took a 1-0 lead in just the second minute of play. After an Elizabeth Longacre shot was blocked, Morgan Leslie was right there to put it past the Gator keeper, scoring her fifth goal of the season.
- In the fifth minute of the first, Kate Landis took a free ball and passed it inside toward the goal. The ball caromed off Skylar Hedgepeth's stick right to Longacre, who put it in for her team-leading seventh goal of the season.
- In the second quarter, it took a bit longer, six minutes this time, for EMU to find the back of the net. Off a Hedgepeth penalty corner, Brandy Troutman dribbled just inside the arc and fired a shot, giving EMU a 3-0 lead going into the half.
- Although replaced at half to give the other Royals keepers some playing time, EMU starting goalkeeper Ann Ghally stopped both shots that came her way.
- EMU continued their strong offensive day in the third, this time with Ashley Maldonado getting into the scoring fun. Off a free ball, Troutman, who was just outside the 25 yard marker, put a pass into the arc, finding Maldonado, who put it in for her first goal of the season.
- New EMU keeper, Marie Wilson, stopped the lone shot that came her way in the third.
- Maldonado added her second of the season and EMU's fifth goal of the day, in the 57th minute. This time, Longacre had her shot saved but Maldonado was there for the quick goal.
- Notre Dame got on the board in the final minute of the game off a penalty corner with Vanessa Dunn putting it past keeper Arianna Nixon. But despite giving up the goal, Nixon had two big saves in the period.
- Maldonado led the way with two goals and Hedgepeth's two assists gives her an ODAC-leading nine on the season.
By the Numbers
- 2 – In the Royals four home wins, the EMU defense has given up just two goals, including a pair of shutouts.
- 7 years – Hedgepeth's nine assists so far this season are the most an EMU player has had since 2014, when Janessa Derstine finished the season with 10.
- 4 – Four different Royals scored on Sunday, the first time this season EMU's offense has had that many goal scorers in a single game.
What's Next
The Royals will wrap up their three-game homestand on Wednesday when they face off against Southern Virginia. The match will kick off at 4:30 pm.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the field hockey program this year follow EMU on Twitter and Instagram, like EMU Athletics on Facebook or visit our website.
