YORK, PA – The York College field hockey team put together an impressive offensive performance in their 2021 season opener as the Spartans blanked Wilkes University 7-0 at Kinsley Field. The victory is the 400^th in the history of the program.
The game for the Spartans was their first in 668 days after losing 2020 to COVID. Seven different Spartans scored in the victory for the Green and White. 
 
Final Score: York 7, Wilkes 0
Records: York 1-0, Wilkes 0-1
 
How It Happened
• The Spartans pressured the Wilkes defense early and often. The Spartans fired off six shots over the course of the first quarter. York finally found the back of the cage with 28 seconds left in the opening 15 minutes of play. Connie Harbuda collected a loose ball and drove a shot into the cage for the Spartans' first goal of the year.
• Junior Hannah Huffman made it 2-0 just 2:08 into the second half as she collected ball in the box and chipped inside the post for her first goal of the year. The Spartans quickly made it 3-0 as Sam Collis hit a bullet from the right win that found the inside of the far post with just over ten minutes left in the quarter. Senior Hayley Taylor capped the big quarter for York as she scored off a pass from Lindsey Cowan, pushing the Spartan advantage to 4-0 with 5:01 left in the half.
• York outshot Wilkes 17-0 in the first half and held a 5-0 advantage in penalty corners.
• The lead grew to 5-0 just 3:15 into the second half as Taylor hit Maggie Spadafora with a pass that Spadafora deposited in the back of the cage for her first collegiate goal. York closed out the quarter with another goal off a corner as Taylor inserted to Carrie Shuey who finished off the chance with a nice shot to make it 6-0 York.
• The Spartans closed out the scoring midway through the fourth quarter as Sarah Burton collected a pass on the left wing and dribbled across the circle and beat goalie Carly Eidle, who dove to try to stop Burton's shot.
 
Spartan Leaders
Hayley Taylor: 1 goal, 2 assists, 2 shots, 4 points
Hannah Huffman: 1 goal, 3 shots on goal
Sam Collis: 1 goal, 3 shots on goal
Maggie Spadafora: 1 goal, 2 shots on goal
Connie Harbuda: 1 goal, 2 shots on goal
Carrie Shuey: 1 goal, 1 shot on goal
Sarah Burton: 1 goal, 1 shot on goal
 
Spartan Notes
The win is the 400^th in the program history as the Spartan Field Hockey team now has an overall record of 400-357-33 in the 53^rd season of play … the game with the Colonels is the first in Spartan program history … the season opening win is the first under head coach Katie Fost as York is now 1-3 … however the previous three losses all came to teams ranked in the top ten of the NFHCA Coaches Poll … the Spartans had 11 players make their collegiate debuts in the win … York finished the game with a 39-4 margin in total shots and a 19-3 in shots on goal … the Spartans also had an 18-4 advantage in penalty corners.
 
Up Next
The Spartans have very little time to enjoy the victory as they head out on the road Sunday afternoon as they face St. Mary's in a make-up game from the game wiped out by tropical storm Ida. Game time in St. Mary's City is set for 5:00 pm.