Gophers Never Trail No. 19 Eagles Until Final Seven Minutes
TOWSON, Md. — Goucher took a 1-0 lead over nationally ranked Juniata this afternoon when its first shot of the game turned into a goal.
Weiner Takes Goucher's Only Shot, Provides Team with 1-0 Lead
TOWSON, Md. — Goucher took a 1-0 lead over nationally ranked Juniata this afternoon when its first shot of the game turned into a goal.
By halftime, the two teams were deadlocked at 1-1, but the Gophers never trailed until the final 10 minutes of the contest when the Eagles stuck a pair of goals to emerge with a 3-1 Landmark Conference victory on Beldon Field.
Liz Weiner (New Bloomfield, Pa./West Perry) put the Gophers (4-5, 0-2 Landmark) up 1-0 when she deflected a chip by Justine Ruhlin (Cornish, Maine/Sacopee Valley) directly in front into the cage at 17:03. The goal was the sophomore midfielder's second of the season; the freshman midfielder/forward picked up the first assist of her collegiate career.
The Eagles, who currently are No. 19 in the Kookaburro/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division III national rankings, managed to pull even before the end of the first half on a goal by Kara Buda at 23:36.
The tie wasn't broken until Meghan McGlone's unassisted goal with 6:57 left to play put Juniata ahead 2-1. The Eagles (6-2, 1-0 Landmark) tacked on an insurance goal by Liz Slimak at 65:47.
The shot Weiner took that produced the goal was Goucher's only one of the contest. Juniata, by comparison, unleashed a total of 27 shots.
Senior Micki Manheimer (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth) started in goal for the Gophers and made five saves while playing all 70 minutes. Junior midfielder/defender Katie Gallagher (Green Brook, N.J./Watchung Hills Regional) also prevented a Juniata goal by making her team-leading fifth defensive save of the season.