Gophers Blank Bison to Earn Third-Consecutive Victory

TOWSON, Md. – Three goals in the first 12 minutes were more than enough for the Goucher field hockey team this afternoon, and the Gophers continued their offensive onslaught in the second half en route to a 5-0 win over Bethany at Beldon Field.

Rachel Crain (Charlotte Hall, Md./Chopticon) led the way with a pair of goals for Goucher (3-5), which has won three in a row for the first time since Sept. 1-10, 2011. Bethany (0-5) was shut out for its fifth-consecutive game.

Junior team captain Emily Gill (White Hall, Md./North Harford) opened up the scoring 5:16 into the contest, deflecting a shot from Lizzie Barminski (Ventura, Calif./Buena) after a Justine Ruhlin (Cornish, Maine/Sacopee Valley) penalty corner for her first goal as a Gopher.

Ruhlin doubled the advantage five minutes later, taking a pass from Caroline Less (Easton, Mass./Oliver Ames) and drilling a shot past goalie Jacqueline Harrison for her seventh goal in the season's first eight games. She currently leads the team with 15 points, while Less picked up her first point at Goucher with the assist.

Crain added her first marker shortly afterwards, converting on her third attempt in a flurry of attempts on goal in the 13th minute.

Goucher ended the first half with a 17-1 shots advantage. The Gophers added another 17 attempts after the intermission, finishing the match with a 34-4 disparity. They also had a 10-2 edge in penalty corners.

Barminski tallied her third goal of the season in the 41st minute, streaking down the left side and nailing a shot past Harrison. Crain completed the scoring with an unassisted goal at 57:20.

Demie Huffman (Granville, Ohio/Granville) recorded her third win of the season in goal without needing to make a save in the game's first 35 minutes. She was relieved by Taylor Striar (Laurel Hollow, N.Y./Cold Spring Harbor), who made two saves in the second half. Kera Arnold (Baltimore, Md./Patapsco) also registered a defensive save for the Gophers after the break in her season debut.

Goucher returns to action with a 7 p.m. matchup at Widener on Tuesday. A win would give the Gophers their first four-game winning streak since 1995.