The Eastern University field hockey team returned home for the first time in nearly two weeks. After falling 5-1 on the road to Messiah on Wednesday, the Eagles turned things around against Swarthmore on Saturday afternoon. Dreary weather did not deter the Eagles as they jumped to a 3-0 lead and held on for a 3-1 win.

The Eagles pounded the cage in the first half, out shooting Swarthmore 14-1. They appeared to take the lead midway through the first half, but sophomore Hope Donnelly's would-be-goal was deemed dangerous and, after a Swarthmore time-out, was called back. 

Eastern continued to launch shots and surround the Swarthmore cage, but they were unable to finish a chance until the bulk of the opening half had expired. Yvonne Herbster looked ahead on a break away to find Elya Troup. Troup proceeded to slice through the defense and beat the goalie for the first goal of the game with five minutes left in the first half. Three minutes later, Herbster was able dribble her way through the Swarthmore defense and find the back of the cage to double the Eastern advantage.

After taking a 2-0 lead into halftime, the Eagles increased the pressure on the Garnett goalie. Gina Grubb stood her ground for the guests as the Eagles pounded shot after shot in the opening moments of the second half. Eastern held a 14-4 edge in shots for the half. Senior All-American Lindsay Moyer ripped two shots from the top of the circle on corners, but Grubb was equal to the challenge on both strikes. The Swarthmore backstop finished with 13 saves on the afternoon.

Kim Campbell provided the exclamation point for the Eagles midway through the second half, scoring off of a Kaitlin McGann cross to take a 3-0 lead. That insurance goal proved to be quite valuable as the Garnett answered just moments later.

Katie Teleky scored the lone goal for the Garnett on a nice cross from Sophia Agathis. Agathis set up the play with a strong run up the right side and a precise cross onto Teleky's stick.

Despite only facing five shots the entire afternoon, Eastern goalkeeper Laura Ressler came up big in key situations. Ressler stepped up to face a breakaway attempt by Teleky and slid to kick the ball away for her biggest save of match and to hold the Eagles' lead at 3-1. Leslie Messick played outstanding defense once again for the Eagles picking up her second defensive save of the season after a loose ball squirted behind Ressler in the first half.

Eastern returns to action on Tuesday, September 15 against the College of New Jersey at 7:30 PM.  This game begins a string of three road contests for the Eagles. The next home match is scheduled for Tuesday, September 22 at 4:00 PM against William Patterson.