Eagles Roll Past Gophers for First Landmark Victory

HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata field hockey team swiftly amended an opening goal from Goucher College, as Tess Ledeboer and Aimee Buffington each scored two goals in a 4-1 defeat of the Gophers on Saturday afternoon. 

Ledeboer and Buffington led a thorough attack from Juniata that included a season-high 24 shots, 18 shots on goal, and 13 penalty corners. Ledeboer and Mallory Prince each tallied an assist. 

Caitlin Steffie tested the Goucher goalkeeper with two shots in the first couple of minutes, while momentum soon shifted to Goucher, who was able to draw a couple of penalty corners in the sixth minute. McMullen saved an initial close-range shot, but the ball spilled to her left where a Gophers player was positioned, and she placed the ball in the cage.  

Juniata's leveler came within five minutes following a couple of Eagles corners and two shots from Sydney Witter. Witter played the ball into the center of the circle to Ledeboer, who slotted it through to Buffington on the right side, and she beat the keeper at the near post.  

After three penalty corners and a blocked Ledeboer shot to open the second period, she finally broke through in the 22nd minute to give Juniata the advantage. Brooke Franke started the play by dispossessing a Goucher play 30 yards from goal, and she passed to centrally-located Ledeboer who went right and slotted the ball through the keepers' legs.  

Ledeboer further cemented the lead five minutes later on a swift counterattack. Witter received the ball near midfield and spotted Ledeboer downfield and through Goucher's final two defenders. The keeper made the initial save; then a defensive block went off the post and just inches from crossing the line. A scrum on the goal line saw the ball goal in for Juniata's third goal. 

Juniata returned from halftime and put one more goal in via Steffie 30 seconds in. Ledeboer started the play by driving into the circle from the left. She then played a ball square to centrally place Prince, who tapped the ball to an unmarked Buffington on the far post. Juniata pressed for 13 more shots in the second half but was unable to add to the advantage.  

Brittney McMullen faced her biggest test of the day on a fourth-period penalty stroke save. The Gophers player went high and to McMullen's right, and she went the right way to make the stop. 

The Juniata defense allowed just five total shots, and McMullen saved four of five, including the fourth-period penalty stroke.  

The win is Juniata's first in Landmark Conference competition this fall. 

Juniata plays their final non-conference game on Tuesday evening as they venture to Lebanon Valley College for a 7:00 p.m. game start.