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Gina Malatesta

Bulldogs Win First-Ever Freedom Conference Game, Top FDU, 4-3

Senior Gina Malatesta scored twice including the game-winner to lead DeSales past FDU-Florham, 4-3, on Friday afternoon (Photo courtesy of Greg Carroccio/Sideline Photos).
 
Center Valley, PA (September 23, 2005) – The DeSales University field hockey team competing in the Freedom Conference for the first time needed just two games to get itself into the win column in conference play defeating FDU-Florham, 4-3, on Friday afternoon.
 
        The Bulldogs (6-3, 1-1 Freedom) lost their conference opener in double overtime last Saturday at Drew University, but this time held on for a 4-3 win over the Devils (2-6, 0-2 Freedom).  DSU took an early 2-0 lead with two goals over the first 10 minutes.  Senior Gina Malatesta (Warminster, PA/St. Basil Academy) scored first knocking the rebound of her own shot in at the 2:28 mark and sophomore Jen Pulcini (Easton, PA/Easton) made it a 2-0 lead with her fifth goal of the season at the 9:30 mark of the first half.
 
        After an FDU timeout, the Devils reversed the momentum making it a one-goal game at the 14:48 mark on Krystle Birmingham’s fourth tally of the season off an assist from Caroline Garguilo.  The two teams went scoreless throughout the rest of the first half as the Bulldogs held a slim 2-1 lead.
 
        FDU tied the game early in the second half as Kate Springmeyer took a pass from Kaitlyn Dudzinski and scored her 10th goal of the season to tie the score at two with 32 minutes left to play.  The game remained tied for just under 11 minutes when junior Bethany Hepner (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh) scored on a penalty corner with a rocket shot from the right side of the circle off a direct pass from sophomore Ashley Sparango (Salfordville, PA/Souderton).
 
        Malatesta connected for her 10th goal of the season just six minutes later to give DSU some insurance and a 4-2 lead with 15:25 left to play.  The one-goal lead was cut in half in the 61st minute as Katie Warne’s shot was deflected past DSU’s keeper off a defender’s stick, but the Bulldogs managed to keep the Devils out of the cage over the last eight minutes securing their first-ever Freedom Conference win.
 
        DSU out-shot FDU 17-9 and held a slim 11-10 edge on penalty corners.  Jamie SanFilippo made eight saves for the Devils in the loss and sophomore Amy Zoltek (Harleysville, PA/Lansdale Catholic) totaled two saves for the Bulldogs.

        DeSales returns to action on Monday, September 26th as they host Immaculata University in a non-conference game beginning at 4:00 pm.

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