Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Sophomore Kristen Olenick netted her first collegiate hat trick, scoring three goals as the Gettysburg College field hockey team defeated host Eastern Mennonite University 7-5 to capture a wild season opener Friday afternoon.

With the game tied 4-4, Olenick, who was also making her first college start, put the Bullets in front to stay when she converted a feed from senior Emily Kleinburd with 14:04 remaining. She also added an insurance tally with 1:29 showing to set the final score while posting the first hat trick by a Bullet since Emily Harwood '09 scored three goals on Oct. 22, 2008 in a 5-1 win over McDaniel.

Four other Bullets scored a single goal while Kleinburd finished with two assists. Senior Megan Feeg made six saves to earn the win in the cage.

Gettysburg, which never trailed, outshot the Royals 28-18 in a game played in 90-degree heat.

Olenick scored the game's opening goal with 22:45 left in the opening half before junior Kelly Spieker followed up just over two minutes later to give Gettysburg an early 2-0 advantage.

The Bullets took a 3-2 lead into the half after the Royals sandwiched a pair of goals around a penalty-stroke tally from senior Ally Duggan with 6:56 on the clock. Eastern Mennonite scored the final goal of the period with no time on the clock, tipping in a shot during a corner.

Junior Liz Baron scored with 28:04 left to make it 4-2 before EMU pulled even on back-to-back goals. Olenick then drilled in her lead-assuming goal before senior Hayward Sawers got into the act, striking with 9:04 remaining and putting the Bullets back up by two. The Royals made it a one-goal game when Adriana Santiago scored with 5:06 left before Olenick's final marker.

The Bullets return to action on Sunday, when they face Roanoke College at noon in their home opener.