Krista Osborne	Alyssa Fania
Cassie Mullen	Krista Mundy

Box Score
Photo Gallery (courtesy of Dan Ceccacci)

WILKES-BARRE TOWNSHIP, Pa.—Sophomore forward Krista Osborne (Blue Bell, Pa./Gwynedd-Mercy) helped The University of Scranton field hockey team end years of frustration against former Freedom Conference rival King’s College Tuesday evening at McCarthy Stadium.

Osborne scored twice in the first-half to propel the Royals to a 3-1 halftime lead en route to a 4-1 victory.  It was Scranton’s first victory over King’s since 2007, snapping a four-game series’ losing skid, and improves the Royals to 5-0 for the first time since 1998.

Osborne got plenty of help on the offensive end from junior midfielder Alyssa Fania (Annandale, NJ/North Hunterdon) and junior forward Cassie Mullen (Chester Springs, Pa./Villa Maria Academy). Fania tallied her team-leading fifth goal of the season in the 12th minute on a play setup by senior midfielder Jessica Conroy (Havertown, Pa./Merion Mercy Academy), which turned out to be the game-winner, and Mullen set up Osborne’s first goal with an assist, then added an insurance goal four minutes into the second half.

Osborne, Fania, and Mullen’s play overshadowed another solid defensive effort by the back line of juniors Bridget Brady (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Mt. St. Joseph Academy) and Michelle Lennon (South Walpole, Mass./Walpole) and sophomore Jessica Pankey (Pompton Lakes, NJ/Pompton Lakes), which limited King’s to just five shots and only three on goal.  The prime beneficiary of the defense tonight was junior goalkeeper Krista Mundy (North Caldwell, NJ/West Essex), who needed to make only two saves to pick up third win of the season and the 12th of her career.

In five games so far this season, the Royal defense has allowed only 14 shots on goal.

The Lady Monarchs, now 3-3, received a goal by sophomore forward Alyssa Monaghan (Plains, Pa./Coughlin) and senior goalkeeper Megan Withrow (Wernersville, Pa./Conrad Weiser) made nine saves.

The Royals will return to action Thursday evening against Keystone College at 7:00 p.m. at Fitzpatrick Field.

News & Notes:  King’s leads the all-time series, 12-9…Tonight’s win was Scranton first at King’s since October 30, 2003…Fania is now tied for 22nd place on the Royals’ all-time scoring list with 40 total points (16 goals, 8 assists)…Royals have now out-scored their opponents, 18-4.

--ROYALS--