Box Score SCRANTON, Pa. – Sophomore Katie Redding (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) scored the lone goal of the game in the 44th minute and The University of Scranton field hockey team (14-1) took down No. 18 Vassar (11-5) by a 1-0 score in non-conference action on Wednesday night at Weiss Field in Scranton.
The Royals were receiving votes in the latest Penn Monto/NFHCA Coaches Poll and were ranked fifth in the most recent NCAA Region V Rankings, while the Brewers were ranked No. 18 nationally and fourth in Region III.
This marks Scranton's first win over Vassar since a 4-2 victory during the 2014 campaign.
With the victory tonight, Head coach Colleen Moyer's squad is one win shy of tying the program's single-season record for wins (15) that was set in 2017.
Just over a minute remained in the third quarter when sophomore Bridget Abraldes (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem East) sent a pass towards the cage that was deflected by a Vassar defender and Redding collected the loose ball and found the back of the cage with her 13th goal of the season.
Redding is tied for the team lead in goals with senior Allie Benadon (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) and the duo ranks tied for second in the Landmark with the 13 goals.
Both teams stood strong defensively for much of the first quarter plus of the contest and Vassar registered the first shot of the game for either team in the 19th minute by Hailey Brigger. Brigger was denied by Scranton goalie Clare Maguire (Oreland, Pa./Mount Saint Joseph Academy) a few minutes later and Maguire also turned away a shot from Maggie Werner in the 25th minute to keep the game scoreless headed into halftime.
The Royals struck with Redding's afore-mentioned goal with 1:04 to play in the third quarter to open up a 1-0 lead over the 18th ranked Brewers. Vassar had perhaps their best chance of the night just under a minute into the fourth quarter as Brigger ripped a shot from the top of the circle off a penalty corner and Maguire pounced on the opportunity to keep it a 1-0 game. Scranton's defense held strong in the fourth quarter as they held Vassar without a shot in the final 14 plus minutes to notch their 12th shutout of the year.
Vassar held a 6-2 shot advantage in the contest and Maguire registered three saves in the shutout win.
Sarah Dumaresq tallied one save in the losing effort for the Brewers.
Defensively, the Royals, led by seniors Ashley Moore (Conshohocken, Pa./Mount Saint Joseph Academy) and Molly Sheehan (Haddonfield, N.J./Haddonfield Memorial) and freshmen Lauren Franco (West Chester, Pa./B. Reed Henderson) and Abbie Hoyle (Drexel Hill, Pa./Archbishop Prendergast), have allowed just four goals all season and lead all of Division III in save percentage (.911).
For Maguire in the cage, the junior leads the country in both save percentage (.900) and goals against average (0.36).
Scranton will host Elizabethtown to wrap up the regular season on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. and prior to the game, the team will honor the 2021-22 senior class.
--ROYALS--
