No Contest: F&M Routs Union With Ease
from press releases
LANCASTER, Pa. - Blake Hargest scored five goals
and assisted on another to lead #2 Franklin & Marshall to a
15-5 win over #6 Union in Saturday's NCAA Regional Semifinal. The
victory advances the Diplomats (18-1) to Sunday's Region Final
where F&M will face either St. John Fisher or Tufts.
Hargest scored twice in the first 57 seconds and netted each of
F&M ‘s first three goals as the Diplomats opened up with
a 7-1 run on the Dutchwomen (15-4). F&M's run began with
dominance on the draw circle. The Diplomats won nine of the first
half's 10 draws, preventing Union from ever establishing an
offensive rhythm.
Sparked by Hargest's early energy, the Diplomats peppered Union
keeper Cat Ruggiero with 17 shots in the first 30 minutes. Ruggiero
turned away seven of the first half shots and 10 in the game.
F&M outshot Union 32-15 over the duration.
Melissa Hine answered Hargest's opening salvo with an unassisted
marker at 14:45. Meredith Lussier scored the first of her four in
the game around the first pair of Jen Pritcahrd's hat trick. Allie
Cuozo made it 7-2 going into the half with a free position goal
with five minutes left in the first half.
Three of Union's five goals were scored from the eight-meter mark.
Chelsea Charette got the second eight-meter goal four minutes into
the second half as the teams traded goals in the early going. The
Duthcwomen had nine FPS attempts in the game, but Diplomats'
backstop, Lidia Sanza needed only four saves to pick up the
win.
Kristin Joyce netted the final free position goal of the game with
20:48 left in regulation. Less than three minutes later, Ashley
Bevington collected a ground ball on a failed clear attempt and
went to the Union cage with a head full of steam. Bevington ran
through a defender and beat Ruggiero under the crossbar. The
Diplomats did not get off of the gas from there.
18 seconds after Bevington's blast, Shannon Summers collected a
feed from Jen Pritchard behind the net to make it 10-4. Joyce ended
Union's day of scoring at the 16:51 mark with a solo effort. She
weaved through three Diplomat defenders to beat Sanza for the final
time on the afternoon.
Six different Diplomats scored in the win with five registering
helpers. Summers and Sarah Meisenberg each recorded three assists.
Pritchard recorded the win on seven draw controls in the game.
Amanda Miceli, Devi Hensch and Lussier each forced two of the 21
Dutchwomen turnover, helping F&M to disrupt eight of Union's 18
clear attempts.
