ST. DAVIDS, Pa.- Eastern University Field Hockey used three goals over a six-minute stretch to break a 2-2 tie and earn an important 6-2 win over the visiting FDU-Florham Devils. Prior to the match, the Eastern team recognized the contributions of seniors Brittany Moyer, Kelby Bolton, and Shannon Graybill.

The three seniors have earned three straight Freedom Conference Championships. While it was the seniors' day to be recognized, two juniors combined three minutes into the game to give the home side a 1-0 lead only three minutes into the match. Abby Wagner drove the ball down the right side and fired a hard cross toward the center of the cage where Moyer and Jess Jaindl waited. Jaindl was first to the ball and jammed the ball across the line for her first of three goals on the afternoon.

Though the Eagles had the better possession and field position, the score remained at 1-0 until just past the half-way mark of the opening period. Kelby Bolton cracked a hard drive from outside the circle toward Jaindl. The drive caught a defender's stick on the way and caromed into the goal for a 2-0 lead.

Only six minutes later, the Devils (8-9, 4-2 Freedom) found the back of the cage on their first penalty corner of the afternoon. Kelsey Kistle powered a shot from the top of the circle for her sixth of the season. Eastern held a 10-3 edge in first-half shots, but the lead remained at 2-1 heading into the intermission.

The Eagles had the first five shots of the second half, but FDU keeper Amy Defnet held her ground on four and Kistle stopped another strike and FDU kept within striking distance. It appeared that the defensive effort paid dividends as the guests drew level on a rebound effort from Rebecca Bruns in the 42nd minute. 

Almost as soon as the game was tied, Eastern's offense kicked into high gear. Defnet blocked a Kelby Bolton smash up into the air, but Jaindl was on the spot to swat in the volley for her second of the day.

The Devils responded with a brief surge into the Eastern end, but that resulted in space for the Eagles to run. The Eagles took advantage of the space with a beautiful transition goal. Lauren Gay served the last of four straight passes to Moyer on the back post. Moyer had her stick ready and pushed in her 12th tally of the season.

The Eastern pressure continued with another series of penalty corners. Eastern put the Devils under pressure for much of the second half with a 13-3 edge in penalty corners. Jaindl scored her third of the day on a redirection of a Megan Botlon blast. The hat trick is the second of the week and third of the year for the junior.

"I love them," Jaindl said of playing with the three Eastern seniors. "It's almost hard to imagine playing without them. I've played with Brittany and Kelby for like seven years now."  Jaindl played three years at Christopher Dock High School with Moyer and Bolton and is in her second year playing with Megan Bolton.

Moyer finished the scoring on a Kinsey Lewis cross in the 67th minute. Moyer now has 41 career goals and has been involved in at least two goals in six of the past seven games. The Eastern offense has scored 35 times in the past six games.

Kylie Jones made five saves to pick up the win. For the match, the Eagles fired 34 shots and the Devils had just seven. Defnet made 13 saves and Tess Loughran made eight saves in twenty minutes in relief.

Where one week ago there were five teams tied for the lead in the Freedom Conference, now there are only two. Eastern and King's both have just a single loss, but the Monarchs hold the inside track toward the top seed as they earned a 2-1 win in Wilkes-Barre earlier in the year. FDU hosts Manhattanville in what could be an elimination game on Tuesday night.

If Eastern beats Delaware Valley on the road (Saturday 4 p.m.), then the Eagles will secure at least a second seed in the tournament. If Del Val wins that game, then the Eagles would have to return to Doylestown for the first round game.