YORK, PA – The York College field hockey team picked up their second straight MAC Commonwealth shutout as they blanked Hood College 4-0 on Wednesday night in York.
The Spartans had one of their more dominating performances as they held the Blazers without a shot in the game.
The #8 Spartans improve to 10-2 overall and 2-0 in the league. The Blazers fall to 9-4 and 0-2 in the league as they have lost two straight after a nine-game win streak.
 
How It Happened
• The Spartans scuffled in the first five minutes of the game as they seemed to be a little off kilter. However, they were able to keep the play in the middle of the field until they started clicking in the final ten minutes of the quarter. The Spartans would draw six first quarter penalty corners but those chances created just three shots with two coming on goal as the teams headed to the second quarter scoreless.
• The Spartans kept the pressure on the Blazers in the second quarter. York fired off three shots in the first four minutes of the quarter as the play remained in the Spartans' offensive third. The Spartans finally found the back of the cage on their tenth shot of the night off their 11^th corner of the game. Riley Buschert inserted the corner to Libby Wild and Wild sent a pass to the back right post. Freshman Kelsey Welsh was in the right place as she tapped home the pass for her second goal of the year with 2:55 left in the half.
• York out shot the Blazers 11-0 in the opening half while they held a 12-0 bulge in penalty corners.
• The beat continued for the Spartans in the third as they earned three corners in the first four minutes of the quarter. The third corner resulted in a shot by Katie Martino that was cleared off the line by defender Madeline Moreno. The barrage continued and the pressure resulted in the Spartans drawing a penalty stroke with 4:41 left in the quarter. Spartan senior Sara Pique stepped up and slotted home the stroke for a 2-0 lead.
• The Spartans drew a second stroke just over five minutes into the final quarter but this time, Hood goalie Richana Brown registered the save to keep the Spartan lead at two. The Spartans struck for a third goal just under seven minutes later as York created a break away opportunity. Hannah Huffman received a long outlet pass down the near sideline. She had a nice give-and-go with Connie Harburda just outside the circle. Huffman's second pass went to a trailing Anna Simoes at the top of the circle. Simoes slipped a nice pass to an open Welsh and the freshman finished for her first career multi-goal game. York tacked on a goal on their 27^th corner of the night with less than two seconds left. The Spartans kept the ball in the circle after the initial shot was blocked. Pique collected the loose ball and sent a pass to Martino who finished off the chance for her eighth goal of the year and the final four goal margin of victory.
• York finished the game out shooting Hood 28-0 in total shots, 20-0 in shots on goal and 27-0 in corners. Brown finished the game with 14 saves in goal for Hood while Moreno picked up a pair of defensive saves.
 
Spartan Notes
York improves to 21-0-1 all-time against the Blazers as the Spartans have won 19 straight in the series … the Spartans posted their sixth shutout of the year and their second in a row … the Spartans improve to 7-1 at home while the Blazers suffered their first road loss of the year as they fall to 6-1 away from Frederick … Hood has lost two straight to open conference play … the four goals were the most allowed by Hood this season … the Blazers have been limited to just one shot in their last two games … the Spartans held the Blazers without a shot and that's the seventh time this year that a Spartan opponent has had five shots or less … the last time the Spartans held an opponent without a shot came on October 27, 2021 against Hood … the Spartans attempted two strokes and split the pair as they now have three attempts for the year … freshman Kelsey Welsh set a new career high with a pair of goals as she scored on just two shots … the game-winning goal was the first of her career … senior Katie Martino notched her team-leading eighth goal of the year as she is tied for second in the MAC Commonwealth in goals … junior goalie Belle Fields wasn't tested in the game but she leads the MAC Commonwealth in goals against average at 0.58 while she is second in save percentage at .825 … Fields' six shutouts leads the Commonwealth, doubling up the next highest total … the Spartans' 11 total points in the win marks the second straight game they have reached double figures in points and third time overall (12 vs. Susquehanna and 13 vs. Alvernia) … York has out-shot their last two opponents 48-5 and they have not allowed a shot in their last six quarters of play.
 
Up Next
The Spartans start a two-game road trip on Saturday as they head to Owings Mills to face the Stevenson Mustangs in a MAC Commonwealth contest. Game time is set for 1:00 pm.