(Posted November 13, 2010)

COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. -- The Juniata College field hockey team gained the lead first in the ninth minute versus Ursinus College yet the Bears responded with a 7-2 victory in the second round of the NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship tournament, at The Eleanor Frost Snell Alumnae Field this Saturday.

"We came out so strong and intense because we wanted it so bad," said an emotional Sam Smith (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg), about her last game of Juniata field hockey.

Caroline Phillips (Wilmington, Del./Concord) was the player to gain the lead off of a flawless penalty corner from Paula Price (Camp Hill, Pa./East Pennsboro) nine minutes into the first half.

"We took advantage of a team that had not played in a week and raised the bar early," said Juniata field hockey head coach Caroline Gillich after the game.

"Both teams had to fight that much harder after the initial goal," added Gillich. "We just couldn't hold them."

Ursinus' Alyssa Thren reacted to tie up the game off an unassisted goal in the 15th minute. Thren found the goalmouth again from Bridget Resetco to get ahead just five minutes later. The remainder of the half was evenly matched and the Bears held their 2-1 lead.

Ursinus came out with a vengeance in the second half and Jennifer Bayzick finished off an assist from Resetco six minutes in. Bayzick then scored off of a deflection from a Juniata defender's foot just three minutes later. Thren scored her hattrick for the day from Corrine Freeman in the 52nd minute. Three minutes later, Thren connected with Megan Yoder to put the Bears up 6-1.

The Eagles kept fighting as Price and Suzi Lindquist (Richmond, Va./Henrico) teamed up for a total of three back-to-back consecutive shots on Ursinus goalkeeper LauraLee Lightwood-Mater.

Kim Amrod (Ridgefield, Conn./Ridgefield) found the back of the Bear's net on her own when the ball bounced around the circle after a penalty corner. Bayzick came back once more from Resetco with one minute left in the second half.

"Ursinus was definitely the strongest team we have played. They capitalized on our weaknesses," said Juniata goalkeeper Moira Nugent (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg), when asked if today's game was the most challenging of the season.

"I am proud of my team because they fought for all 70 minutes of the game," added Nugent.

"We gave it our all," said Smith on a closing note.

Nugent had a phenomenal effort in the net today making 12 total saves. Lightwood-Mater tallied six saves in goal for Ursinus.

Ursinus tallied 29 shots and 16 penalty corners, while Juniata had ten shots and seven penalty corners.

The last time the two teams faced each other was in 2007 when the Eagles shut out the Bears 2-0 in the second round of the tournament held at Lebanon Valley College.

The Bears will face Middlebury College in the third round game which will be played again on The Eleanor Frost Snell Alumnae Field Sunday, Nov. 14 at 1:00 p.m.

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.