In the sport of baseball a perfect game is defined as no hits, etc. In other words, its when nothing happens. The Leopards had a perfect game for 3/4 of the match with Colgate and it was anything but dull. For most of the first quarter my age lines were extending on my face and I feared this was going to be one of those Colgate games that could be difficult. Maybe it was the cold, maybe some overconfidence, but all it took was a Leneke Spaans rocket with 15 seconds left in the first quarter with an assist from Lena Thedrian and Stella Malinowski on a corner, to snap the team to attention.
Maybe it was encouraging words from coach Stone between the quarters but the team in maroon just went into high gear from that point on. Passes became sharp and targeted, and the team hustle resulted in interceptions that led to a flood of offensive power for the rest of the game.
The second quarter was a dam burst of 3 goals. The first came from Alex Darrah 1:27 into the quarter to make it 2-0. With only 2 minutes running off the clock Stella Malinowski delivered on a penalty stroke to make it 3-0. The second quarter was not to end until Leneke Spaans was to get her second goal of the afternoon on a corner with Lena Thedrian getting her second assist this time with India Ralph in on the action. Half time ended with the score standing at 4-0 in favor of Lafayette.
The home team wasn’t slowing down when Lea Good got help from Mackensie Hall on a tip into the left hand corner in the third quarter. Just to even things out Stella Malinowski got her second goal with help from her classmate Lea Good in the fourth.
Other stats reinforced the outcome with Leopards leading in shots 27-4 and SOG 17-0. The Colgate GK made 11 saves during the game. Lafayette used 20 players in the game and Emma Garvey relieved Raffi Fragomeni in the 4th quarter. Unrecorded was a spectacular leaping save by Garvey to preserve the shutout.
With a win today Lafayette now has a 3-1 record in the League and rises to .500 overall. Although not yet recognized by the League, the win today coupled with the loss from Bucknell, propels Lafayette into the playoffs. The worst the Leopards can do now is 3-3 and the best Holy Cross, Bucknell and Colgate can do is 3-3. Lafayette has beaten all three and would then prevail in any tie-breaker.
However, there is more. There is still a path to hosting, with Lehigh and American to meet on Friday, and the Eagles will play Holy Cross in following weeks while contesting Boston for the last league game. Lafayette travels to Boston on Saturday and will see Lehigh in the last league game of the season.
Tomorrow Lafayette will want to move to a winning record by recording a senior day win against a tough Drexel team.
GO Pards!!
Lafayette College Field Hockey 