The Lions' field hockey team extended its winning streak to four games by trouncing the Johns Hopkins University Blue Jays 5-1 on Saturday. Senior forward Jess Berkowitz led the charge for the Lions, scoring a pair of goals and assisting on two others.
The Lions (4-0) gained an early lead, scoring twice within the first four minutes of the game.
Berkowitz knocked in the first goal only 1:37 into the game on an assist from sophomore forward Katie Reuther. Junior defender Sheri Grondski scored next on a pass from Berkowitz off a penalty corner.
"We went out really strong and got two goals in quickly," junior defender Ashleigh Pecherski said. "This is really something that we concentrate on every game."
Both Reuther and Pecherski have 10 points on the season thus far, with four goals and two assists apiece.
The Blue Jays scored their only goal of the game a short time later when junior midfielder Sarah Bender fired a shot toward the left post after receiving a loose ball from senior forward Jamie Zubrow.
The Lions continued their domination of the Blue Jays as Grondski scored again late in the half on another penalty corner pass from Berkowitz, making the score 3-1 at halftime.
The Lions continued their offensive charge in the second half by scoring two more goals in the first five minutes of play.
After Berkowitz netted her second goal of the game, senior forward Allison Greene also scored, giving her seven goals for the season along with a team-leading 16 points (two assists) while Berkowitz is close behind with 15 (five goals, five assists).
Berkowitz, Greene, Reuther and Pecherski are now in double digits with points after only four games.
"One of the reasons we have been successful so far is our team unity and how well we work together," Pecherski said. "Johns Hopkins was a skilled team and the game was very intense so it was good to see that we could beat a team like that."
Goalkeeper Erin Mitschke had 11 saves and recorded her fourth win of the year, even though her scoreless streak was snapped after allowing her first goal of the season.
Currently, Mitschke has a 0.27 goals- against average along with a 0.938 save percentage. Dayna Eng, senior goalkeeper for the Blue Jays, finished the game with 12 saves.
The team's next game is at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday against Montclair State University in Lions' Stadium.
