YORK, PA – The #9 York College field hockey squad closed out their 2024 home regular season campaign with a resounding 6-0 win over Eastern University on a beautiful Wednesday night in York.
The Spartans got two goals in the second, third and fourth quarters to roll to the shutout win. The win clinches a berth in next week's MAC Commonwealth tournament.
York improves to 13-5 overall and 4-2 in the MAC Commonwealth. The Eagles fall to 5-12 overall and 0-6 in the league.
 
How It Happened
• The Spartans were all over the Eagles from the start as they spent the majority of the first quarter inside their offensive third of the field. York fired off nine first quarter shots as they put four on target in the opening 15 minutes. Eagle goalie Angelina Cantania recorded four first quarter saves to keep York off the board.
• The Spartan pressure finally paid off 3:27 into the second quarter as the Eagles were whistled for an infraction that gave York a penalty stroke. Senior Libby Wild finished off the stroke for the 1-0 Spartan lead. Wild's goal was her fifth of the season. Freshman Claire Burrows added to the lead just under four minutes later as Kate Egan ripped a shot on goal that was saved. Burrows picked up the rebound and poked home a shot for the 2-0 Spartan lead. York fired off 16 shots in the second quarter alone as they took the two goal lead to the intermission.
• The Spartans tacked on two more goals in the third quarter. Sophomore Hannah Downs made it 3-0 with her third goal of the year off a pass from Kelbie Linebaugh just 1:37 into the second half. Tori Heiserman, the reigning two-time MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Week, notched her eighth goal of the year off a pass from Riley Buschert just 2:12 after Downs' goal to increase the lead to 4-0. The Eagles registered their lone offensive chance of the game with just over three minutes left in the third quarter as they earned a penalty corner. They got a shot that went in the goal but the officials waved off the shot as the Spartans maintained the clean sheet.
• Burrows struck again midway through the fourth quarter for York's fifth goal. Wild hit a long and brilliant pass to Burrows in the circle. The Spartan freshman put a move on the defender and then slotted home the shot for the tally. Senior Sophia Holtzner closed out the scoring as she converted York's second penalty stroke of the night for her second goal of the year.
• York finished the game out-shooting Eastern 39-0 while they held a 26-0 bulge in shots on goal. The Spartans had a 10-1 advantage in corners.
 
Spartan Notes
The Spartans improve to 4-1 all-time against Eastern as York has won four straight … York has outscored Eastern 23-0 in the four games during the win streak … the Spartans finished the year 7-2 at home with both losses coming in overtime … the Spartans' 39 shots were a season-high for the Green and White and were the second time they had over 30 in a game this year (31 at Widener) … the 26 shots on goal were the highest total of the season … the six goals were a season high and the most since last fall when they beat Eastern 6-0 … York has outscored their last three opponents 14-1 with the lone goal against coming on an Alvernia penalty stroke … the Spartans have outscored their six Commonwealth opponents 19-5 … senior Belle Fields notched her 27^th career shutout and tenth this year with the clean sheet … Fields also picked up her 44^th career win as she is 44-16 in her Spartan career … senior Libby Wild recorded her career-high fifth goal of the year as she now has 12 points on the season … Wild has 12 career goals as a defender on the Green and White … the game-winning goal was Wild's first of the year and fifth of her career … freshman Claire Burrows had a career-high two goals in the win, her first career multi-goal game … Burrows did her damage on just three shots … sophomore Hannah Downs scored her third goal of the season and third goal in the last two games with her third quarter goal … senior Sophia Holtzner notched her second goal of the year with both tallies coming on penalty strokes … she is 2-for-3 from the dot this year … senior Riley Buschert added another point to her team lead in scoring as her assist gives her 25 points on eight goals and nine assists.
 
Up Next
The Spartans close out their 2024 regular season on Saturday afternoon at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland. A win over the Blazers clinch the third seed for the Spartans in next week's Commonwealth Tournament. Game time is set for 2:00 pm.