Though it was not easy, Eastern University Field Hockey kept their league record unblemished with a 4-3 win at King's College in a rematch of the 2009 Freedom Championship. Kim Campbell scored twice and added an assist in the win.
The No. 10 Eagles grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second minute when first year standout Jess Jaindl scored her eighth of the year on a Campbell cross. As would become a pattern for the better part of the game, that lead would not last. Jenera Quinones collected a rebound for the hosts in a 25th minute and knotted the game at 1-1.
Less than three minutes later, the Eagles reclaimed the lead after Yvonne Herbster and Brittany Moyer combined for a pretty goal. Herbster laid the ball off to Moyer and took the return pass in the circle and pushed her shot just inside the left post. The game went to intermission with the Eagles clinging to a 2-1 lead. Eastern had an 11-3 edge in penalty corners and a 9-4 edge in shots through the first 35 minutes, but they were unable to find separation.
King's drew level at 2-2 in the 43rd minute on a Calli Berryman tip in. Campbell then took over. Coach Azzarano's super-senior hammered a shot on penalty corner, but King's goalie Erin McGinley stood her ground on the initial save. Campbell coraled the tough rebound and worked her way toward the goal. She was finally able to push the ball past the King's backstop for the 3-2 edge.
"Kim was great today," Azzarano commented after the game, "She had a really good stick for us, and that goal was all her effort." The joy of Campbell's goal was short-lived as the host Monarchs equalized 20 seconds later.Â
The game-winner finally came just before the hour mark as Campbell pushed her 11th of the year home off a Herbster assist. Campbell now has 47 goals and 24 assists in her four year career as an Eagle.
The Eagles (13-2, 4-0 Freedom) sit as the lone unbeaten in the Freedom Conference. They host FDU-Florham at 4:00 pm on Wednesday.