With a 3-2 NCAA 1st Round win at Skidmore College, Eastern University Field Hockey earned a 2nd Round date with Messiah College. Yvonne Herbster, Lindsay Moyer and Elya Troup each scored as the Eagles used a 16 save performance from goalkeeper Laura Ressler to hold off a late charge from the host Thoroughbreds.

Skidmore earned the early lead on a seventh minute goal from Christine Kemp. Herbster tied the game just moments later on her tenth of the year. Herbster, who earned Freedom Tournament MVP honors last week, has scored a goal in six of the last seven matches for the Eagles.

Ressler continued to hold the hosts at bay and the half ended at 1-1. The sophomore standout registered eight saves in each half. At the break, Skidmore held a 13- 5 advantage in shots, but penalty corners were level at three.

Just over three minutes into the second half, the Eagles earned a penalty corner, Lindsay Moyer banged home her team-best 17th goal of the year on a give and go assist from Kim Campbell. Up 2-1, the Eagles had to withstand another rush from the hosts, but Ressler and her defense were up to the challenge. 

Just over ten minutes in to the second half, senior defender Leslie Messick had to leave the game with an injury. With their captain out with an injury, the Eastern defense had to reorganize with three freshmen defending every Skidmore corner for the remainder of the game. Eastern Head Coach Camrin Azzarano said of her young players, "Our young defenders played with so much smarts and guts to finish the game. We are not used to playing without Leslie, but Danielle [Danser] stepped right back into her spot and made things work."

Elya Troup gave the Eagles a 3-1 lead when she cleaned up an Olivia Derr shot on the back post. That insurance goal would prove to be the game winner when the hosts made a final push and scored on a corner with less than two minutes to play in the match.

The Eagles travel home tonight and will continue their season at Messiah College on Saturday. The win today puts the Eagles in the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history.

Azzarano summed up her teams day saying, "there was a lot for our team to adjust to. The surface was very fast, and most of our team was making their first trip to the NCAA Tournament. I was very proud of their composure in the big game."

Eastern and Messiah played earlier in the year. Messiah earned a 3-1 win in that contest.