The Lock Haven University field hockey team (1-0) used an early goal and a strong second quarter to push past Lehigh University (0-1), 3-2, on the road on Friday evening in a non-conference matchup with the Mountain Hawks.
The Bald Eagles wasted no time and after just 26 seconds, Jazmin Palma (Entre Rios Providence Argentina/Colegio Sagrado Corazon de Jesus), who missed the entirety of last season due to injury, completed a storybook return to The Haven and laced a ball past the goalkeeper to give LHU a 1-0 lead. Ellie Mead (Chesterfield, Va./Cosby (Coker)) and Brooke Hofsass (Hershey, Pa./Lower Dauphin) were both credited with an assist after a crisp penalty corner routine to set up Palma.
In what proved to be a strong spot for Lock Haven, Amy Stevens (Castle Creek, N.Y./Whitney Point) smashed home another well-worked penalty corner with just under ten minutes to play in the half. Palma had her fingers on The Haven's second goal and earned the assist.
Less than three minutes later, Martina Spangenberg (Buenos Aries, Argentina/Piaget) weaved through a handful of Lehigh defenders and slapped home the Bald Eagles third goal of the day past a stranded goalkeeper to give LHU a 3-0 lead, which they carried into the halftime break.
Early in the second half, the Mountain Hawks grabbed a goal in the opening five minutes when Maddie Kandra cut the Bald Eagles lead to 3-1.
Lehigh made a late comeback bid as Sarah Bonthuis brought the Mountain Hawks to within one goal with two minutes left in the contest. The Bald Eagles, however had other plans and iced away the final minutes to close out the 3-2 victory.
Alongside Palma in the defensive unit, freshmen Megan Beppler (West Pittston, Pa./Wyoming Area) and Victoria Scheer (Haarlem, Netherlands/Kennemer Lyceum) made their career first starts for the Bald Eagles.
In goal, Kelsey Felix (Hallam, Pa./Eastern York), who was also making her first career start for LHU, was forced into just two saves despite the late efforts from Lehigh.
Also turning in notable performances for LHU was Constanza Lopez Zabala (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Colegio Martin y Omar) and Anna May Barbusca (Lancaster, Pa./Penn Manor), who steadied the midfield in a starting lineup which featured five players starting their first game in the crimson and white.
In total, LHU held a 6-4 advantage in penalty corners. The two sides tied at 9-9 in shots, but the Bald Eagles notched a 7-4 lead in shots on goal as their clinical penalty corners proved decisive.
Original source can be found here.
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