ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– Eastern University Field Hockey battled throughout the game with the No. 5 Franklin and Marshall College Diplomats. The visiting Diplomats (10-2) scored three goals in the final 20 minutes to earn a 4-2 win.

While the Eagles (4-8) started out the game in a more defensive posture, they were not without chances. Hayley Williams and Gina Miller each had balls saved off the goal line by alert Diplomat defenders in the opening twenty minutes. The Diplomats finally snuck one past Eastern goalie Nicole Berger and her defense in the 30th minute. Nicole Bodo finished a Sarah Schannauer pass on the doorstep.

Berger made six saves in the first half and had another four shots saved by teammates.

"In a lot of ways," Head Coach Camrin Azzarano said after the game, "we rose to the challenge of the game. We passed the ball really well and worked very hard on defense."

Eastern's work paid dividends in the 41st minute. Becky Howard battled for the ball in the circle and slipped it inside the post for her fifth goal of the season. While the Eagles gave up 11 penalty corners in the first half, they were able to limit the number of corners in the second. Both teams had three penalty corners after the intermission.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, the Diplomats converted their final two penalty corners of the match into goals. F & M took the lead in the 52nd minute and doubled that advantage in the 60th. Ninty seconds later, the Diplomats' high-powered offense made the score 4-1.

The Eagles grabbed a goal back on a nice finish at the post by Maya Wales with just over two minutes to play, but F & M held on for the win.

"I am proud of the way we played today," Azzarano said. "Good teams are hard to beat. They are a very good team. I believe that we can build off this going forward."

The Eagles return to MAC Freedom competition at Wilkes on Saturday.