Krista Osborne	Alyssa Fania	Lara Haab
Kathleen Keale	Meghan Kearney	Cassie Mullen

Box score

Photo gallery (courtesy of Dan Ceccacci)

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Junior forward Krista Osborne (Blue Bell, Pa./Gwynedd-Mercy Academy) had an afternoon she won't soon forget, scoring a career-high four goals to lead The University of Scranton field hockey team to a 6-1 victory over Wilkes on Tuesday afternoon at Schmidt Field.

Osborne scored three times in the first half as the Royals (8-1) erased an early 1-0 deficit to defeat the Colonels (3-6) in the first matchup between the schools since 2010. Senior midfielder Alyssa Fania (Annandale, N.J./North Hunterdon) and junior forward Lara Haab (Gladwyne, Pa./Country Day School Sacred Heart) added goals in the victory. 

Wilkes struck first with a goal at the 13:13 mark of the first half, but Osborne quickly erased the deficit with a goal 34 seconds later on an assist by Fania. Less than two minutes later, Osborne got free on a breakaway and beat the Colonels' goalie for a 2-1 lead. She put the Royals in full control in the 23rd minute when she tipped in a shot by senior midfielder Kathleen Keale (Wall, N.J./Wall), giving Scranton a 3-1 lead it would take into halftime.

The Royals put the game away when Fania scored an unassisted goal four minutes into the second half. Osborne added her fourth tally in the 53rd minute on an assist by junior midfielder Meghan Kearney (Broomall, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara). Haab completed the scoring in the 59th minute when she scored on an assist from senior forward Cassie Mullen (Chester Springs, Pa./Villa Maria Academy). 

Osborne now has a team-leading 15 goals on the season, two ahead of Fania. Osborne's 15 goals are tied for eighth-most in a single season in school history. Fania now has 13 goals and five assists for 31 points on the season, one shy of her career high set last season. In her career, she has 35 goals and 18 assists for 88 points. Her 18 assists are tied for second in school history, one shy of matching the mark set by Traci Zarbatany (1986-89).

The Royals held a commanding 21-6 advantage in shots and had an 8-6 edge in penalty corners. Fania led Scranton with six shots while Osborne had five. 

The Royals return to action on Saturday, Oct. 4, when they travel to Huntingdon, Pa. to take on Juniata in a Landmark Conference contest at 1 p.m.

--ROYALS--