BOX SCORE
Center Valley, PA (October 17, 2007) – Senior Ashley Sparango (Salfordville, PA/Souderton) scored two goals and sparked four unanswered goals by the DeSales University field hockey team in its 4-1 win over Delaware Valley College on Wednesday afternoon in Freedom Conference action.
The win moves DeSales to 7-8 overall and 2-1 in the Freedom, while the loss drops Aggies to 10-7 overall and 1-2 in the Freedom. DSU enjoyed a 26-13 advantage on shots in the game and held a slim 9-8 edge in penalty corners.
DVC struck first as sophomore Bethany Pavlik scored just 3:43 into the game as she took control of a rebounded shot, dribbled into position in the box and fired a laser past the Bulldogs keeper into the box. The goal was Pavlik's 18th of the year and put the visitor's up 1-0.
The lead stood until the 22:49 mark when Sparango scored on a pass from freshman Amy Pulcini (Easton, PA/Easton) off a set play during a penalty corner to tie the game at one. The Bulldogs wasted no time in taking the lead for good as Pulcini scored on a shot off a rebound just 5:10 later giving the hosts a 2-1 lead heading into the half.
In the second half sophomore Meghan Iudicello (Nazareth, PA/Pen Argyl) scored an insurance goal just 1:20 into the second half as she dribbled into the right portion of the circle and fired a shot just inside the line, beating the Aggie keeper for her third marker of the season. Sparango added the exclamation point at the 54:26 scoring on a nearly identical set play on a corner with fellow senior Casey Opdyke (Bath, PA/Northampton) providing the pass this time.
Sophomore Molly Pope (Elkridge, MD/Long Reach) played well in the cage stopping seven Aggie shots, while Amy Stafford had 12 saves for Delaware Valley in the loss.
The Bulldogs return to action on Saturday, October 20th when they travel to FDU-Florham for another Freedom Conference game beginning at 5:00 pm.
