SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Junior
Delaney Herbert notched four goals along with handing out one assist and the Dickinson defense held the host Susquehanna University without a shot over the entire third quarter to help collect a 9-7 non-conference win at Sassafras Field on Wednesday afternoon.
The home side showed off some lockdown defense early on as they forced the Devils into five turnovers over the opening five minutes, while Caitlin Harvey, Kelsey Homberg, and Hannah McNamara recorded shots for the home side but tasked
Peyton VanDorpe into not making a single stop. In fact it would be Dickinson that struck first as
Bella Guckes missed wide, before a foul on Abbey Alex led to a free-position shot and goal by
Delaney Herbert for the 1-0 lead. However, the home side tallied on their next two chances to grab a 2-1 lead with just over five minutes left. Dickinson notched the last five shots of the period, but none of the attempts by
Faith Parker, Guckes and Herbert solved Aerin O'Brien to leave it at 2-1 through one.
Each keeper posted a save inside the first four minutes of the second with VanDorpe knocking away Homberg's blast, while O'Brien turned aside
Jenna Nowland. With 4:08 off the clock a foul committed in the attacking area by Liz Kelly resulted in Herbert's second free-position marker of the contest to draw even. Two of the next three shots went the way of the hosts with Allie Kutler and Kim Nagengast going off target to keep things tied. Herbert completed her hat trick on the ensuing possession with her third free-position.
Sage Whiteside nabbed the following draw control leading to a chance for
Syd MacKeigan that rang the iron, which gave Heather Riefenhauser a chance to reclaim the lead but VanDorpe closed off that hope. Herbert then played provider to Guckes, before Whiteside cashed in on a feed from
Abby Geary to make it 5-2. Susquehanna ended the scoring of the half through Riefenhauser to close within 5-3 after 30 minutes.
The Devils had the pressure early in the third as Geary, MacKeigan and Whiteside letting shots fly towards O'Brien who was called upon to make two more stops. After causing four River Hawk giveaway the Red and White finally struck in the third thanks to Whiteside who collected her own miss and eventually dispatched a nice pass from Guckes to the back of the net. The visitors continued to let it go as Herbert and Whiteside tasked O'Brien with another two saves. Fortunately, the relentless effort was finally rewarded when Herbert buried her fourth extending the lead to 7-3 inside the final five minutes. The quarter would finish with that score as the Devils put on a defensive clinic not allowing a shot during the frame.
The goalies were on full display to start the fourth as VanDorpe notched two saves, while O'Brien knocked away an offering by MacKeigan. Then, with six minutes gone Emma Kelleher cut it to 7-4, but off a draw control by Whiteside the visitors answered with a tally from
Liz Barroll. About four minutes later a stop by VanDorpe on McNamara, allowing Parker to go back down the field and stretch it out to 9-4. Susquehanna would make a late run scoring three times over the final three minutes, but it was not enough as Dickinson held on for the 9-7 win.
Red Devil Leaders
Goals – Herbert (4), Whiteside (2)
Assists – Geary, Guckes and Herbert (1)
Groundballs – Guckes and VanDorpe (5), Geary (4)
Draw Controls – Whiteside (6), Herbert (3)
Saves – VanDorpe (6)
River Hawk Leaders
Goals – Kelleher (3)
Assists – Owen (3), Homberg (2)
Groundballs – Alex and O'Brien (4), Homberg (3)
Draw Controls – Homberg (4), Kutler (2)
Saves – O'Brien (13)
Next on the Turf
Dickinson (2-0) continues non-conference play on Sunday afternoon with a visit from 25th-ranked Denison University at 1pm.
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