COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – Emily Cole scored three goals and added an assist to lead Eastern University Women's Soccer to a 4-2 non-league win at Ursinus College. Cole's Impressive effort helped her squad to snap a three game skid and to pick up a win over a team in the NCAA Regional Rankings.

The Eastern defense did the work early. The host Bears had most of the action for the opening half hour of the match. Adrianna Swinehart made several good saves and a couple great saves behind an Eastern back row that, according to Head Coach Dan Mouw, worked together as well as it has all year.

"They broke us down a few times," Mouw said, "but each time they did, we had a player in a spot to help out. Adrianna made a couple great saves where she parried balls off the posts. Caroline [Lozzi], Alex [Imperatore], Laura [Martin], and Courtney [Davis] battled to dig balls out and get them away from danger. It was a great effort against a talented offensive group. We got at least two favorable bounces on balls off posts, but those are only favorable when the defensive team works to get back in position after a shot. I was really proud of the way they battled. "
   
Cole had several chances in counter-attack earlier in the match. The junior standout scored the games first goal in the 38th minute from just outside the  just outside the 18. Cole picked up a pass about 30 yards from goal and made a decisive move to earn the center of the field before firing a shot to the lower left corner. 

"Caroline [Williams] has been doing a lot of individual work with Emily." Mouw continued. "They call it shooting school. Emily has a class conflict that keeps her out of most of one practice every week, she comes late and stays until past dark. They have been working on recognizing one-v-one chances and getting the best possible shot before cover gets there. It really paid off tonight." 

Eastern (7-10-1) took a 1-0 lead into the break. The Bears had a 17-7 advantage in shots in the first half. Swinehart made six stops.

Less than three minutes after the break, Cole converted a second one-v-one chance to double the Eastern lead. She built up speed outside the box and hammered a shot just inside the right post. That goal, her 18th of the year, moved Cole alone into the second spot on Eastern's single-season scoring list. She was in a five-way tie for the second spot for the last six minutes on the first half and halftime. Jill DiRenzo set the program mark of 25 in 2007.

Cole completed the hat trick in the 66th minute on a 35 yard bomb off the underside of the crossbar.

That goal would prove to critical. Ursinus (11-5) scored 15 seconds later to make it a 3-1 game. Two and a half minutes later, Ursinus freshman forward Mackenzie Groff volleyed home a cross to make the score 3-2 with exactly 20 minutes remaining.

"I think we might have lost focus on the first goal," Mouw said. "Just a little bit of euphoria about being up 3-0. Their second goal was brilliant. Their right winger had been giving us fits all night. She made an amazing run in and played a great ball. Their girl in the middle delivered a quality finish. My assistants had suggested switching Courtney [Davis] to the other side in the first half, I was reluctant, because a back row is about communication and understanding and it would mean losing some of that stability, but we made the change after the second goal and Courtney's did a nice job to let us catch our breath."

For a little more than 15 minutes, the Eagles clung to that 3-2 lead.  Only seconds into the 85th minute, Lydia Peachey picked up a ball on the left side and found Cole breaking toward goal. For obvious reasons, the Ursinus defense collapsed very quickly toward her. Cole slipped a perfect pass to Hannah Bomberger racing in on the right side side. Bomberger fired the ball into the left side of the net to ice the game at 4-2. Peachey, Cole, and Bomberger are the three junior field players on Eastern's roster and are roommates in Eagle Hall.

"Hannah's goal was sweet for so many reasons." Mouw finished. "She showed great composure after a really long day of running. I think we could have held them off for another six minutes, but I am glad we do not have to know. It was a great team win."

Eastern had an 11-10 edge in second-half shots. Swinehart finished with nine saves to pick up the win. The Eagles will host FDU-Florham on Saturday at noon. The team will recognize seniors Mary Kulikowski, Stephanie Le, and Laura Martin before the match.