MADISON, N.J. – Senior Elle Collins (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central) scored a pair of goals and The University of Scranton field hockey team (13-2, 7-0 Landmark) scored a goal in each of the first three quarters en route to a 3-0 victory over the Drew Rangers (6-9, 2-5 Landmark) on Wednesday night at Ranger Stadium in Madison.
With the victory, the Royals remain tied atop the Landmark standings with Susquehanna and the two sides will clash on Saturday in Selinsgrove.
Scranton nearly took the lead less than a minute into the game on a shot by senior Bridget Abraldes (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem East) that hit the post and then a shot by the Rangers' Jackie Melone rolled just wide of the cage in the third minute. The Royals took a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute as Abraldes tipped a shot following a penalty corner and Collins buried the chance. In the second quarter, the Royals continued to mount the pressure offensively and it remained a one-goal game until the final minute of the half when senior Kait McGarry (Locust Valley, N.Y./Locust Valley) sent a pass into the circle and sophomore Julia Downing (Schwenksville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) tipped it home from the post to make it a 2-0 game for her third goal of the season.
Drew goalie Olyvia Jackson added a trio of saves in the 36th minute that kept it at 2-0 for the time being before Collins struck again in the 38th minute after tipping an initial shot by fellow senior Katie Redding (Havertown, Pa./Haverford). Collins now has five goals on the season and the multi-goal game was the first of her career. Head coach Colleen Moyer's team held Drew to just one shot over the final 15 plus minutes as the Royals preserved the team's seventh shutout of the season.
The Royals held a 19-3 advantage in shots led by six from Redding and junior Gianna Travia (Havertown, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) played all 60 minutes in the cage for her fifth solo shutout.
Jackson recorded 10 saves in the setback for Drew.
Saturday's game at Susquehanna is slated to get underway at 1 p.m.
--ROYALS--
