LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – In an always close battle between former NEC rivals, the Rider University field hockey team defeated Lock Haven, 2-1, on Ben Cohen Field Sunday afternoon. The Broncs improve to 8-2 with the win, while the Bald Eagles fall to 3-6.
 
The Broncs opened the scoring late in the first quarter. Carly Brosious (Drexel Hill, PA/Monsignor Bonner/Archbishop Prendergast) made a pass to Alyssa Hoffman (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cumberland Valley) off a Rider penalty corner and Hoffman scored her first career goal to put the home team on top. The lead would be short lived, as Lock Haven answered just under three minutes into the second quarter, knotting the game at one, where it would stand going into the half.
 
In the third quarter, the Broncs turned to leading scorer Julia Divorra (Terrasa, Spain/Vedruna Vall), who once again delivered. The senior dribbled through traffic and scored her eighth of the season, and what would end up being the final score of the game. The Bald Eagles drew a corner early in the fourth quarter, but the ensuing shot went wide and Lock Haven would not get another opportunity.
 

Quotes & Notes
"I think we played OK. We played better in the second half. I think we had more pressure on the ball in the second half than we did in the first half and as the game went on, our passing game got a little bit better. So I was very happy with the progress we made during the game."
 
"This one's gutsy. When it's 1-1 going into the second half, it's always a gutsy win. Lock Haven is traditionally a very tough team to beat. When you look over the history of our programs, we got into overtime an awful lot with them. So we always know it's going to be a close game." – Head Coach Lori Hussong
 
"You always want to make sure they don't tie it again, so when you're winning it's good. The defense was outstanding today, helping us find the space to get a goal on the other side of the field. Communication is key, we got together and cheered each other up and made it work." – Senior Forward Julia Divorra
 
"I think the defense played well, and in the second half we came up big. We communicated through the problems and fixed it in the second half." – Junior Forward Maeve Riehman
 
"The goal was a team effort and it started with the shot from Tess. It starts with hard work at practice." – Freshman Midfielder Alyssa Hoffman
 
- Today's game was the seventh-straight one goal game between the programs.
- Lock Haven still maintains a 12-6 advantage in the all-time series.
- Kaitlyn Tomas (Campbellville, Ontario/Appleby College) made four saves to earn the victory.
- Divorra has five game-winning goals this season.
- Kiki van Ommeren (Amsterdam, Netharlands/Montessori Lyceum Amsterdam) Tess van Ommeren (Amsterdam, Netherlands/Sint Nicolaas Lyceum), Maeve Riehman (Norristown, PA/Archbishop Carroll), and Sierra Giuliano (Franklinville, NJ/Delsea Regional) played all 60 minutes in the game

Broncs By The Numbers
- Divorra has recorded a point in nine of 10 games this season.
- The Broncs out-shot the Bald Eagles 9-6, including a 6-5 advantage in shots on goal.
- Lock Haven earned eight penalty corners, to six for Rider.
 
Up Next
- Rider begins the heart of the NEC schedule with a trip to Fairfield on Friday. Pushback is scheduled for 4 p.m.