2013 Season Photo Gallery

Center Valley, PA (October 5, 2013) – Four different players scored and the DeSales University field hockey team shocked the five-time defending Freedom Conference champions, Eastern University, 4-2 in Freedom Conference action on another gorgeous Saturday afternoon.

The win is the first-ever for the Bulldogs (5-6, 1-1 Freedom) over the Eagles (5-6, 1-1 Freedom) in six career meetings.  EU defeated DeSales, 7-0, last season and the Eagles have won each of the last five Freedom Conference Championships.

DSU started the scoring and controlled play in the early going as sophomore Gianna Colella scored her first goal of the season, pushing home a rebound off the goalkeeper's pads on the backside post at 20:10.

Eastern responded right away tying the game at one just 1:35 later when Jess Jaindl scored her seventh of the year off an assist from Alexa Borrelli.  Eastern kept the pressure on and was dictating play after tying the game and eventually took the lead at 26:42 when Borrelli scored off a rebound in front of the cage.

The game seemed destined for halftime with the score remaining 2-1 in favor of the five-time champs before sophomore Meryah Harding had other ideas.  Harding was fouled just outside the circle with about 15 seconds left.  She quickly re-started catching the Eagle defense off guard, dribbled uncontested into the circle and blasted a shot that snuck inside the left post and hopped over a diving Eagle keeper tying the game with just 10 seconds left.

DSU gained a ton of momentum with Harding's goal that carried into the half as the Bulldogs had lots of life as both teams exited the field for the break.

The Eagles again controlled play thru the first 15 minutes of the half but the score remained tied at two when the Bulldogs found the back of the cage again.

Junior Alison Malatesta raced down the right sideline and beat an Eagle defender into the circle.  She fired a hard cross just in front of the cage that caromed off an Eagle and into the cage giving DSU a 3-2 lead at 51:14.

The Eagles put some pressure on the Bulldogs over the next 15 minutes but the DeSales defense and in particular sophomore goalkeeper Becky Rasmuson was up to the task stopping several Eastern corners and shots to preserve the one-goal lead.

Then with about 90 seconds left Harding got control of the ball around midfield and sent a long pass down the left side where freshman Alexa Beaumont tracked down the pass, dribbled into the circle uncontested and beat the Eagle keeper to provide an insurance goal with 51 seconds left as the celebration started on the Bulldogs sideline.

Eastern finished the game out-shooting DSU, 20-13, and had a 16-6 edge in penalty corners but Rasmuson came up with eight big saves and DSU defense played very solid in front of her all game long.

The Bulldogs have now won two straight and will look to keep this momentum going on Tuesday when they host Richard Stockton College in a non-conference game beginning at 4:00 pm.