Pair of Late Goals Put Eagles Over Gophers
BALTIMORE, Md. - A pair of fourth-quarter goals from Sierra Rossman and Tess Ledeboer broke a 1-1 deadlock to give the Juniata field hockey team its second Landmark Conference victory of the season.
Juniata began the first quarter with a penalty corner in the first minute to set up a shot on goal from Kalee Rothermel from 10 yards out to force a Goucher save. The Gophers earned a penalty corner in the 14th minute, but they were unable to register a shot in the first. Brooke Franke's 15th-minute shot was blocked by the Goucher defense.
Juniata persisted in the attack from the start of the second quarter, with Miranda Madara shooting at the goalkeeper for a saved shot in the first 15 seconds of the quarter. Kalee Rothermel's long-range shot off a penalty corner in the 20th minute missed to the right of the goal.
Rothermel found the net on a 22nd-minute penalty shot, barely advancing from the penalty spot and firing into the top-right corner.
Rothermel's shot in the 24th minute missed wide, and Goucher soon countered with its strongest attack of the game. The Gophers came from the goalkeeper's left, and Brittney McMullen cut off the angle at the goal to save a shot from a few yards out.
Goucher earned a penalty corner, and they found the goal to level the scoreline after forcing a save from McMullen and recovering the lost ball on a shot of the goalpost.
Juniata fired three more shots on goal in the final five minutes for a 1-1 scoreline at halftime.
Juniata generated a few chances in the fourth quarter, with a shot on goal from Kaylyn Walters in the 40th minute, while generating two penalty corners and two additional shots in the middle stages of the third quarter.
Madara opened the fourth quarter with a shot from a couple of yards out that missed left. Goucher countered in the 48th minute, but McMullen narrowed the angle on goal to earn her second save of the game.
Goucher earned a 50th-minute penalty corner but missed wide on the shot generated off the penalty corner.
Juniata earned a penalty corner in the 52nd minute, and Jane Corbin fired a ball into a dangerous area from 20 yards away, with Sierra Rossman finding the ball and scoring to take the lead.
Franke put two more shots on target in the next couple of minutes before a cross from Sydney Witter found Tess Ledeboer, who fired into the open net in the 57th minute for a 3-1 advantage.
Juniata shot two more times in the last three minutes, but the score stood at 3-1.
The Eagles outshot the Gophers 21 to five, while Juniata put 13 shots on goal to Goucher's three.
Rothermel led the team in total shots with four, while six separate players registered two shots on goal.
The Juniata defense kept shots to a minimum, as McMullen was tasked with making just two saves.
The Eagles return home on Wednesday, October 19, at 7:00 pm, as they host the University of Mary Washington. The two teams met once in 2004, as Juniata fell 3-1 at Mary Washington.