HAVERFORD, Pa. (September 1, 2009) - The Stevens Institute of Technology field hockey team won its first game of the 2009 season in exciting fashion, rallying for a 3-2 victory over Haverford College. The Ducks, who trailed in the game 2-0, tallied three unanswered goals to end the game. The Stevens scoring was capped by Mallory Swanson's successful tally off of a penalty corner, which proved to be the game-winner.
The game was a battle throughout with Haverford taking the lead, and the Ducks clawing back to tie and eventually win. After a scoreless and even first half, the Fords (0-1) wasted little time in getting on the board in the second.
Sophomore Roxanne Jaffe (State College, Pa.) converted a penalty stroke 3:08 into the second to put Haverford on top 1-0 and 3:26 later she set up a goal by junior Alex Waleko (East Hampton, N.Y.) from four yards out.
The No. 15 team in the country, Stevens, called a quick time out, re-grouped, and began to battle back. In the 47th minute, freshman Marguerite Chavez set up senior captain Kara Borzillo with the teams’ first goal of 2009. Chavez got free on a breakaway and set Borzillo up with a "gimme" to slice the deficit in half.
Just 3:30 later, Stevens pulled even as sophomore Jillian Price found the back of the net unassisted. At that point, with the Fords on their heels, the Ducks tightened up on defense and went in for the kill.
After earning penalty corner with 19:30 showing on the clock, Swanson hit out to senior captain Erin Broderick. Broderick controlled, sent the ball back to Swanson, who was able to put it in for the game-winner.
With three-straight goals and all the momentum, the Stevens defense did not allow a single shot over the final 19:22 of game time to seal the win in convincing fashion.
Haverford ended with 13 shots and nine penalty corners in the game compared with 12 and five, respectively, for the Ducks.
Junior goalkeeper Ellyn Griggs earned the win in goal for Stevens, playing all 70 minutes.
Stevens (1-0) will return to field this weekend when they host the Stevens Field Hockey Invitational on Saturday and Sunday. The Ducks will take on Ramapo College at 11 a.m. on Saturday and King’s College on Sunday at the same time. Both contests will be webcast live at www.Empire8.tv.
