Box Score YORK, PA – The York College field hockey squad continued their blazing hot start to the season as the Green and White downed Kings College 5-2 in non-conference action on a brilliantly sunny Saturday afternoon in York.
The Spartans improve to 7-1 overall while the Monarchs fall to 4-4. The 7-1 mark is the second fastest start in school history behind the 2000 squad that started the season 8-0. The 1998 Spartan team also started 7-1.
The Green and White wasted little time in getting started. Freshman Beth Patrick (Pitman, N.J./Pitman) made a nifty move in the box as she took a pass, reversed herself and drove home a shot inside the right post for her second goal of the year. Patrick's goal came just 2:07 into the contest.
York tacked on second goal 2:43 later as Patrick slotted a pass across the circle to junior Holly Martin (Hanover, Pa./South Western). Martin one-timed the ball with a shot that ricocheted off Kings' keeper Paige Tedik for the goal.
Freshman Ali Posey (Airville, Pa./Red Lion) banged home her team-leading eighth goal of the year in the 18th minute of the game off a corner. Senior Nancy Saylor (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) struck the penalty corner to Posey. Posey stopped the ball and then lofted a shot that cleared the defense tucked nicely into the upper right 90 of the cage for the improbable tally as the Spartan lead grew to 3-0.
The Spartan defense was outstanding in the opening 35 minutes of play as they limited the Monarchs to just one shot in the half. Kings' lone shot came over 30 minutes into the game.
The Green and White wasted little time after the halftime intermission extending the lead to 4-0 as freshman Shania Gelvin (Hustontown, Pa./Forbes Road) tipped in a pass from Martin just 1:43 into the second half, pushing the Spartan advantage to four.
The Monarchs got on the board as leading scorer Alyssa Monaghan got the ball in the middle of the circle and finished off a shot high into the cage, cutting York's lead to 4-1 with 20 minutes left in the game.
Monaghan further cut into the lead with her second goal of the game off a Kings' penalty corner in the 57th minute. Meghan Lermond fired the pass to the top of the circle and Monaghan scorched a shot to the goal for her ninth goal of the year.
Gelvin pushed the Spartan lead back to three when she collected a rebound off a Posey shot and deposited the ball into the cage with less than five minutes left in regulation. The goal was her fifth of the season and gave York their final margin of victory.
Spartan goalie Jessica Everett (Windsor, Pa./Red Lion) earned the win as she registered five saves in the win. Tedik suffered the loss for Kings as she notched six saves while she allowed four goals in 45:20 of work. Chelsea Blaney played the final 24:40 and made eight saves with one goal allowed for the Monarchs.
York finished the game with a 29-12 margin in total shots including a 19-7 bulge in shots on goal. The Green and White also had a 13-7 advantage in penalty corners.
The Spartans return to action on Wednesday evening when they travel to Shenandoah to face the Hornets in a non-conference contest. The match is slated for a 7:00 pm start.
Beth Patrick photo courtesy of Joe Rodgers
