The No. 3 field hockey team conquered the competition this week, extending its winning streak to six games.
Opponents Rowan University and Susquehanna University left both games scoreless in the College's fourth and fifth shutouts of the season. The defense soared throughout last week, allowing junior goalkeeper Caitlin Gregory to face a total of only six shots on goal for both games.
The game against Susquehanna also marked head coach Sharon Pfluger's 400th victory with the College's field hockey program.
In its 3-0 victory over No. 13 Rowan, the College showed no mercy, dominating the Profs both offensively and defensively for the majority of the game.
The Lions got an early jump on the Profs as senior midfielder Colleen Dougherty made contact with a loose ball, directing it straight into the cage a little more than seven minutes into the game. The goal marked the second consecutive game in which Dougherty added a point to the scoreboard for the Lions.
"Knowing how good Rowan usually is, we knew that even if we were up by one, two or even three goals, if we let up at all, they would put the ball in the cage," Gregory said. "We continued to play the game as if the score was 0-0."
The Lions left no doubt as to who was taking home a victory as senior defender Sheri Grondski netted another goal off of a penalty corner.
With a 2-0 score, the Profs rallied offensively, nearly finding the net with 12 minutes left in the half. The ball wound up getting past Gregory only to be stopped by junior defender Jackie Gelinas.
The play was Rowan's only close attack on the cage of the game. Another Lions goal in the second half made the final score 3-0.
Later in the week, the College went on to face the Crusaders of Susquehanna.
Junior forward Katie Reuther netted her team-leading eighth game-winning goal of the season, scoring early in the first half. Reuther rebounded a loose ball off the pads of junior goalkeeper Lyndsay Meabon and found an open corner of the cage to tally the College's first score of the day.
The final two goals came in the second half, making the score 3-0. The Lions outshot the Crusaders 19-2.
The team may face some challenges this week as it faces off with Salisbury University on Saturday at 5 p.m. and Johns Hopkins University on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., but Gregory is confident her team will come prepared.
"If we play like I know we are capable of playing," she said, "there is nothing that can stand in our way."
Dougherty agreed with Gregory, saying the team should be able to extend its win streak with next week's game.
"We will definitely face some challenges against Salisbury," Dougherty said. "They are a good, aggressive team. If we continue to work as hard as we have been and play with the heart and determination we have been, the outcome of the game should be in our favor."
