ST. DAVIDS, Pa. - Eastern Field Hockey put forth a dominant offensive effort on Saturday, improving to 2-0 on the young season with an 8-0 win over Gwynedd Mercy. Senior
Karlee Howard notched a hat trick, while sophomore
Cameron Brancato scored her first two career goals in the second half. First-year
Lydia Ehst found the back of the cage for her second goal in as many games,
Alyssa Caldini scored her first collegiate goal, and
CJ Summa added her first goal of her junior season late in the first half.
The Eagles spent most of the contest in front of the Gwynedd Mercy cage, firing off 32 shots, 18 of which were on target, and finished with 13 penalty corners to the Griffins' one. Eastern scored four of their eight goals off of penalty corners.
Howard scored the starting 8:28 into the contest, and Ehst doubled the Eastern advantage off an excellent pass from Summa off a penalty corner. Caldini, a senior defender, notched her first collegiate tally on a one-time shot off a brilliant feed from
Brynne Miller, before Howard added her second goal just 90 seconds later. Though it was a delayed call, Summa added her first of the season with seven seconds left in the first half to put the Eagles ahead 5-0 at the break.
Howard completed her hat trick late in the third quarter off a great redirect from
Ryhanna Ridgeway in front of the cage, and Brancato scored both her goals in the fourth to secure the win. Eastern allowed just three shots, with
Christina Unger making one save. Unger and
Angelina Catania, who played in the first half, combined for their first shutout of the season.
Eastern (2-0) will be back in action on Wednesday at Immaculata.
