YORK, PA-The York College field hockey squad survived an offensive slugfest with Franklin & Marshall on a brilliant Tuesday afternoon as the Spartans posted a 6-5 win over the Diplomats in York. The Spartans, who snap a two-game skid with the win, improve to 7-8 overall while the Diplomats fall to 4-7.
    The alarming trend of the Spartans giving up early goals continued on Tuesday as the Diplomats seized control of the game almost immediately. Kimmy Fisher tallied two goals in just 3:58 to put the Dips up early. Fisher's first tally came just 1:12 into the game and was off a rebound while her second goal came on a direct shot from the top of the circle.
    The Spartans arose from their early game slumber and received a pair of goals from leading scorer Megan Spangler (Myerstown, Pa./Eastern Lebanon County) as the junior got the Spartans on the board 21:22 into the game. She tied the game just under five minutes later as she scored an unassisted goal with 8:49 remaining in the opening half.
    It took little time for the second half offensive fireworks to blast off as Stolle Singleton drilled home a rebound less than ten minutes into the second half, giving the Diplomats a 3-2 lead. That advantage grew to 4-2 less than four minutes later as Eileen O'Reilly converted a loose ball into a goal with 22:54 remaining in regulation.
    The Spartans began their second-half scoring when sophomore Casey Lawrence (Abbottstown, Pa./Delone Catholic) scored her fourth goal of the year 2:20 after O'Reilly's goal as York cut the lead to 4-3. The green and white tied the game at four with 18:09 remaining in regulation as senior April McFarland (York, Pa./Eastern York), the Spartans' all-time leading goal scorer, converted a pass from Allison Roush (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) for the goal. It was McFarland's 13 goal of the year. Roush gave the Spartans a short-lived 5-4 lead as McFarland returned the favor and fed her for a goal just 40 seconds after McFarland's goal.
    The Dips tied the game for the third time, this time at five, when Mollie Ruben took the ball at the top and slid a pass to Lauren Wendth who converted the pass for a goal with 10:36 remaining in the game.
    The green and white got the game winner from Roush at the 6:39 mark when she dribbled the ball in the circle and drilled a low, boring shot into the cage for the game-winner.
    The Diplomats would be unable to get off another shot as the Spartans held on for the victory.
    The Spartans finished the game holding a 26-15 edge in shots and a 19-6 margin in penalty corners.
    Spartan netminder Claire Rekitzke (Seaford, Del./Seaford Senior) recorded six saves in earning the win. Spartan defender Julie Reahl (Eldersburg, Md./Liberty) recorded a pair of defensive saves for the green and white. Jennifer Burdo made nine saves for the Diplomats as she suffered the loss.
    The six goal outburst by the Spartan offense is their biggest output since October 19, 2006 when the Spartans defeated College of Notre Dame, 7-1.
    The Spartans return to action on Saturday when they travel to Lynchburg to face the Hornets. Game time is set for 1:00 pm.

MATCH BOX

Allison Roush photo courtesy of Brent Duffy.