SCRANTON, Pa. – Senior Bridget Abraldes (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem East) notched her second hat trick of the season and The University of Scranton field hockey team (10-2, 4-0 Landmark) cruised to a 5-0 victory over the Goucher College Gophers (7-4, 1-3 Landmark) in Landmark Conference action on Saturday afternoon at Weiss Field in Scranton.
The Royals threatened almost immediately out of the gate as a shot by sophomore Annie Shaw (Exton, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) trickled just wide of the cage in the opening minute and was followed by a pair of penalty corner opportunities. In the sixth minute, Shaw's initial shot was turned away by Goucher goalie Katie Bloom but Abraldes pounced on the rebound and buried the chance for a 1-0 lead. Bloom then added consecutive saves in the eighth minute, but senior Katie Redding (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) struck in the ninth minute with an assist from sophomore Annie Coll (Oreland, Pa./Springfield Twp.) that extended the lead to 2-0. Head coach Colleen Moyer's team continued to control play for much of the second quarter, but the score remained 2-0 at halftime.
Abraldes found the back of the cage in the 36th minute with her second goal of the day and then completed the hat trick in the 44th minute when junior Abbie Hoyle (Drexel Hill, Pa./Archbishop Prendergast) sent a feed across the circle and Abraldes finished it to make it a 4-0 game. Just under a minute into the fourth quarter, freshman Maggie Keys (Centerport, N.Y./Harborfields) scored for a second straight game as she blasted a shot from the top of the circle after a feed on a penalty corner by senior Cori Davis (Millerstown, Pa./Greenwood).
Redding's goal was her team-leading 10th of the season and Abraldes registered her second hat trick of the year after she previously accomplished the feat in a victory over Elizabethtown on Sept. 23.
Scranton held a dominant 22-0 shot advantage in the contest led by six from Shaw and junior goalies Gianna Travia (Havertown, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) and Julie Rogel (Huntington, N.Y./Huntington) each saw action in net in the shutout victory.
Bloom recorded 12 saves in the losing effort for Goucher.
The Royals continue the homestand on Wednesday night versus Wilkes with start time set for 7 p.m.
--ROYALS--
