FREDERICKSBURG, VA-The York College field hockey squad saw their 2008 season come to a close as the University of Mary Washington Eagles defeated the Spartans 3-1 in the quarterfinal round of the Capital Athletic Conference Tournament. The Spartans end the campaign with a mark of 8-13 while the Eagles advance to face the second-seeded St. Mary's College Seahawks in the tournament's semifinal round on Wednesday afternoon at St. Mary's.
    The Spartans jumped on the board first as senior standout April McFarland (York, Pa./Eastern York) dodged Eagle goalie Chrissy Bowdren and scored an unassisted goal 17:29 into the game. The goal was McFarland's team-leading 18th goal of the season.
    The Eagles found the back of the cage with just over four minutes remaining in the first half. Emma Jones fed Alison Weckstein and Weckstein finished off the pass for the goal, tying the game at one.
    Mary Washington finished the half holding a 6-5 edge in shots while the Spartans had an 8-2 bulge in penalty corners.
    The Eagles came out of the break and dominated the green and white. Weckstein struck for her second goal of the game and the eventual game-winning goal 15:40 into the second half. Sarah Trimble earned the assist on the goal.
    Mary Washington closed out the scoring when Weckstein fed Amy Santella for a goal with 4:27 left in regulation.
    The Eagle defense held York to just two second half shots while the Mary Washington offense peppered the Spartan defense with 11 shots in the stanza.
    The Eagles finished the game holding a 17-7 edge in shots while York had a 13-12 margin in penalty corners.
    Bowdren earned the win in goal as she registered five saves while she allowed one Spartan goal. Spartan goalie Claire Rekitzke (Seaford, Del./Seaford Senior) also made five saves but allowed three goals to the Eagles.
    The Spartans bid farewell to a pair of outstanding seniors as McFarland and Casey Knauss (St. Michael's, Md./Easton), in addition to reserve defender Laurel Sturner (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill West), saw their careers come to an end with the loss. McFarland leaves YCP as the school's all-time leading goal scorer with 53 goals while she is second all-time in points with 115. McFarland was the 2005 CAC Rookie-of-the-Year and a 2007 CAC second-team selection. Knauss is a two-time All-CAC selection and has played in 81 games with three goals and nine assists from her defensive midfield position.
    Spartan head coach Jamie Swartz loses McFarland but does return her next four scorers and a majority of her defense as the green and white looks to continue to rebuild the program for 2009.

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