Box Score

GETTYSBURG, Pa.  – Friday's field hockey contest between Gettysburg College and Johns Hopkins University was as even a battle as you could hope for in a regular-season finale, but a victor had to emerge and one unfortunate carom helped the Blue Jays secure a 1-0 victory and a spot in the Centennial Conference playoffs.
 
Needing a victory to clinch a spot in the postseason, Johns Hopkins (9-8, 6-4 CC) struck for a pair of shots on the cage early on. Following a penalty corner, a redirected shot by Alexa Lantiere was stopped by junior defender Emily Van Horn (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee). It was Van Horn's 15th career defensive save, leaving her one shy of the school record.
 
Freshman goalie Haley Mowery (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Northern) kicked away a follow-up shot by Clare Kavanagh to keep zeroes on the board.
 
Gettysburg (4-12, 2-8 CC) picked up its first shot on goal 10 minutes later, but sophomore Hannah Fitzgerald's (Larchmont, N.Y./Mamaroneck) line drive was swatted away by Blue Jay keeper Zoey Atabek.
 
Johns Hopkins pressed the action 10 minutes into the second half with four shots in the direction of the cage. The first hit the post and the following three were all turned away by Mowery, including a high attempt by Shannon Parker in the 48th minute.
 
A penalty corner helped set the stage for the only goal of the contest. The ball made it around the arc to the right wing where it was slapped in the direction of the cage. It bounced off a defender's stick right to Princess Sutherland who swatted it into the left corner for her fourth goal of the season at 52:15.
 
Fitzgerald tested the air with her next shot, but Atabek was once again up to the challenge and swatted the ball down. A follow-up shot by sophomore Catherine Towers (Midlothian, Va./St. Anne's Belfield) just missed outside the right post at 53:45.
 
Gettysburg's best opportunity to tie the game came with just over a minute remaining when sophomore Samantha Wright (Darien, Conn./Darien) intercepted a pass and dribbled all the way to the goal. Atabek made a diving save as Wright made her move to the right to prevent the score and the hosts came up empty on the ensuing penalty corner.
 
Johns Hopkins finished with a one-shot advantage in the game (13-12), while Gettysburg took one more penalty corner (10-9). Fitzgerald finished with seven shots and Mowery capped the day with five saves.
 
Prior to the game, the Bullets recognized their two seniors Lexie Mowery (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Northern) and Kellyann Walley (Northport, N.Y./Northport). Mowery was a four-year starter and a two-time All-CC selection, while Walley contributed six goals as a four-year letterwinner.