College Field Hockey
Rider University 6, Lehigh University 1
BETHLEHEM, Pa.--The Rider University field hockey team won its fifth game in a row with a non-conference victory at Lehigh on Sunday afternoon.
"I think we played okay," said head coach Lori Hussong. "We probably didn't play our best hockey but we passed very well and created a lot of offensive chances down the field."
Senior Virginia Egusquiza (Getxo, Spain) had a career-high three goals and added two assists with Bronc leading scorer, sophomore Sandra Penas (Barcelona, Spain) continuing to pace the offense, scoring twice to go along with an assist.
"Wow," Hussong said upon learning that as great as Egusquiza has been, she had not had a hat trick until today. "That just goes to show how unselfish she is and that she would rather set up her teammates than garner the accolades of scoring. She spills her guts for the team and we couldn't be more proud of her."
"We passed the ball very well today," Egusquiza said. "The offense played well as well as the defense so that was very good."
Rider (9-1) got on the board at the 7:15 mark of the opening half with Penas taking a direct shot on a penalty corner, with Egusquiza and junior Marlaine Schneider (Feasterville, Pa./Neshaminy) assisting.
Just over three minutes later, senior Megan Pisani (Plainsboro/W. Windsor-Plainsboro North) sent Penas in on a breakaway for her second goal of the game, 10th of the season and 24th of her Rider career to give the Broncs a 2-0 lead.
Pisani scored her seventh of the season, redirecting a shot by Egusquiza 1:39 before intermission as Rider took a 3-0 lead into halftime. Already the Rider record holder, Egusquiza now has 52 assists in her Bronc career. Pisani, with 96 career points, is eighth on Rider's all-time scoring list.
Egusquiza scored 54 seconds into the second half on a penalty stroke, added her second goal of the game off a penalty corner in the 41st minute and finished the natural hat trick (three consecutive goals), scoring with 7:03 left of an assist from Penas.
This is the first career hat trick for Egusquiza.
"I'm happy that I was able to score three goals but it was really the work of my teammates," Egusquiza said. "They worked very hard to create the opportunities that I was able to get."
With her eight-point day, Egusquiza now has 128 career points, third best all-time at Rider, passing Julie Hicks (125 points) who had 53 goals and 19 assists from 1989-1992 and Kerri Robertson who compiled 51 goals and 25 assists (127 points) from 1990-1994.
Lehigh scored with 1:01 left in regulation for the final score.
Senior goalie Rebecca Lotito (Oceanport/Shore Regional) did not make any saves as Rider out-shot Lehigh 45-1.
"With 45 shots, we need to get a little better at finishing some more of the plays," Hussong said. "In conference play, we aren't going to see that many opportunities so when we get them, we have to convert. Conference play is going to be much tighter and a lot more one-goal games."
Sierra Segear made 22 saves for Lehigh.
Rider held a 23-1 penalty corner advantage.
The Broncs have won 16 of the 33 games (1 tie) in the series against the Mountain Hawks. Rider defeated Lehigh 8-2 to open the 2009 season with the Broncs winning 3-1 in Bethlehem in 2008.
The two-time defending Northeast Conference champion Broncs travel to Loudonville, New York to face Siena College in the 2011 NEC opener Friday at 4pm.
"We prepared well for conference play," Hussong added. "We know it is going to be pressure-filled and we need to be at our best to continue our success in NEC play. The conference is wide open this year and we have to be ready."
"We've been playing better each game and I think we are ready for conference play," said Egusquiza. "We are excited and are looking forward to it."
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