The 2009 Eastern University field hockey team opened up their conference schedule with a rematch of the 2008 final. Wilkes University arrived on campus with an unbeaten mark and an attack that had overwhelmed their opposition with 34 goals in the first seven matches. The Eastern defense held the Colonel attack in check, adn Yvonne Herbster picked up a goal and an assist, and the Eagles gained the early edge in the Freedom Field Hockey race.

The Eagles (7-3 1-0) entered the match on a three game winning streak, and that momentum seemed to carry into the opening of the important opener. The Eagles held an 8-7 advantage in shots in the first half. Seven of those eight shots were on goal, while Wilkes put just four of their shots on the cage.

That pressure finally resulted in a Brittany Moyer goal in the 26th minute. Yvonne Herbster, the reigning Freedom Conference Player of the Week lofted an entry pass into the circle right onto the awaiting stick of Moyer.  The first year forward redirected it just enough to push it past by Wilkes' Lindsey Davenport.

No more than two minutes later, the Eagles struck again. This time Herbster was the beneficiary of a Christin Haas pass. Eastern took a 2-0 lead into halftime.

The Eagles pressured from the outset again to start the second half. Kim Campbell's shot led to the third goal six minutes in. The senior forward fired a shot into traffic where Elya Troup picked up the deflection in the middle of the circle. Troup took a hard dribble to the right, and she slammed the ball home for the third goal of the match.

Wilkes' vaunted offense finally solved the Eastern defense with two and a half minutes remaining in the contest, freshman standout Jenna DiSabatino slipped through the Eagles defense and beat Laura Ressler on the breakaway to close the gap to 3-1.

Though its only the opening game of Freedom play, the win gives the Eagles an important edge in the battle for the number one seed in the league playoffs. Last season, the Eagles had to travel to Wilkes for the final. 

Eastern will take a week to practice before hosting a nationally ranked Rowan squad on Saturday, October 3rd..