READING, PA – The ninth ranked York College field hockey squad went on the road and recorded a 3-1 MAC Commonwealth win at Alvernia University on Wednesday afternoon in Reading.
The Spartans got single goals in the second, third and fourth quarters to earn the league win.
Spartan senior keeper Belle Fields became the all-time leader in goalie wins as she picked up her 42^nd career victory in the match.
The Spartans improve to 11-5 overall and 2-2 in the league while Alvernia falls to 9-6 and 2-2 in the conference.
 
How It Happened
• The first quarter saw the two teams go back and forth in the midfield as neither offense gained any sustainable traction. The Spartans gained a measure of momentum in the second quarter of the game. York ripped off their first shot 3:14 into the quarter as Libby Wild put a shot on target off a Spartan corner. York continued to spend a majority of the quarter in the Golden Wolves defensive zone.
• York earned a penalty corner with 7:31 left in the first half. Delaney Mitchell inserted the corner to Wild. Wild pushed a pass into the circle where an Alvernia defender tried to play the ball. Freshman Kate Egan was able to secure the ball and push a shot inside the right post for the 1-0 lead. York continued to carry the play the rest of the quarter as they ended the half with the overall lead, in addition to a 4-0 margin in total shots and a 5-1 bulge in corners.
• The Green and White continued to play well in the third quarter. The Spartans added to their lead 5:17 into the half as Mitchell took another corner for York. Her insert pass found Wild who one-timed a shot inside the left post for her fourth goal of the year and the 2-0 lead.
• Alvernia made their lone shot of the game count with 36 seconds left in the third quarter. The Spartans were whistled for an infraction that resulted in a penalty stroke. Alvernia's Abbie Buck hit a ground ball that eluded Spartan goalie Belle Fields to her right, slicing the Spartan lead in half heading to the fourth quarter.
• The Spartans closed out the scoring with just under five minutes left in the game. Senior Riley Buschert collected a long outlet from Maggie Spadafora from deep inside the Spartan defensive zone. Buschert carried the ball almost 60 yards before flipping a pass to a wide open Tori Heiserman inside the circle. The Spartan sophomore settled the pass and fired a shot into the back of the cage for the 3-1 Spartan lead.
• York finished the game out-shooting the Golden Wolves 13-1 including 10-1 in shots on goal. The Spartans had an 11-1 margin in penalty corners.
 
Spartan Notes
York is now 12-7 all-time against Alvernia as they have won five straight in the series … the Spartan defense held Alvernia to just one shot and that's the sixth time this year they have held an opponent to four shots or less … York has now reached double figures in shots in each of their last six games while their 10 shots on goal marks the fourth time they reached double figures in that category … York has scored three goals or more in six games this year including two of their last three matches … senior Belle Fields earned her 42^nd career win in goal, breaking the record of Megan Eckenrode (2002-2005) ... Fields is now 42-16 all-time for York … Fields reached the record in her 64^th career game played … Fields has started the last 58 straight games for the Spartans … Fields already owns the career shutout record of 25 while she is currently first in save percentage and goals against average in Spartan field hockey history … sophomore Tori Heiserman continues her late season surge as she picked up her seventh goal of the year and fourth in the last three games … senior Riley Buschert recorded her seventh assist on the year as she continues to lead the team in points with 23 … senior Libby Wild joined the Spartans double-digit scorers with her fourth goal of the year to go along with her two assists for 10 points … first year forward Kate Egan notched her second career goal and her first career game-winning goal for the Spartans.
 
Up Next
The Spartans return to Kinsley Field on Saturday afternoon as they host Albright College in a MAC Commonwealth contest. Game time on Saturday is set for 1:00 pm in York.