In a powerful display of offense the Lafayette Leopards demonstrated their scoring punch during their first ever meeting with Siena. This was the highest number of goals in single game, since the Leopards beat Albany 10-2 when the Leopard’s coach, Jennifer Stone was on the field as a player more than a decade ago. Birle scored 3 goals on 3 shots. with the first two occuring about five minutes into the first period. Both goals were assisted by Amanda Magadan, establishing the Leopards early, on their way to a torrent of goals. After lighting the board at 2:19 and 5:!4 in the first period, Kristen Taylor joined in the fun, by scoring the first goal of her college career at 7:41, unassisted from the left side of the goal.
The first half ended in a 3-0 lead for the Leopards. The statistics were not spectacular as Siena had 4 shots and Lafayette had 5, scoring on 3. I hope coach Jennifer Stone recorded her halftime speech because Leopards were relentless in the second half scoring five unanswered strikes at 45:05,46:29, 47:15, 49:41 and adding an additional goal at 54:41. The goals were spread around to a number of players. Paige Macrae, collected her second goal of the season, Birle competed her hat trick, which came during a corner, assisted by Hannah Millen, who got her own goal for her second of the year assisted by Ami Turner, and Ellen Colbourne, off a corner. Amanda Magadan then got her second of the season (unassisted). Freshman Kristen Taylor got her second of the game, also unassisted, before Ami Turner finished the scoring with an unassisted strike into the left corner from the top of the circle.
The Leopards finished the night with 9 goals on 18 shots making this a very efficient shooting effort. If I were the Leopards next opponent I would be confused as to who to cover. Ellen Colbourne was unstoppable from the midfield outrunning and advancing the ball anytime she touched it. Katlyn Arnold finally gave up a goal at 56:48 as Nichole Miller lofted a soft shot over her head to the top of cage. She was assisted by Brittany Onesto. Coach Stone emptied her bench, as Gabrielle Ulery saw her first collegiate action in goal relieving Katelyn Arnold with five minutes and fifteen seconds to go in the game.
The Leopards will hit the road traveling to the State of Virginia taking on Longwood, on friday ( their second meeting with Longwood in history). The first meeting ended in a tie and went to strokes. The second game of the weekend will be with a powerful Liberty University team who played UNC well last year in the NCAA’s, losing 2-1. Lafayette beat the Flames in their first meeting last year ever 4-2. They will undoubtably be looking for revenge.
As senior Kirby Szalkowski said in an interview earlier this summer, we now move on to the most important game of the year…the next one on the schedule. No doubt Coach Stone will give her charge’s some rest and will then preparations begin in earnest for the weekend.
Lafayette College Field Hockey 