Elmira College (2-6) at Keystone College (2-4)
Tuesday, September 29, 2015 | 7:00 P.M. | Turf Field – La Plume, PA
Live Coverage
 
Elmira, NY -- Flying high after securing a big Empire 8 Conference victory over Hartwick College, the Elmira College field hockey team will return to non-conference play when it travels to La Plume, PA, to clash with Keystone College at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 29^th.
 
Last Time Out
Facing a must-win situation in order to stay in contention for a berth to the Empire 8 Tournament, the Soaring Eagles got the big victory they needed on Saturday at Hartwick. The Purple and Gold blitzed the Hawks for two goals in the opening 6:32 of the second half to break a 1-1 halftime tie. The lead would be more than enough for Elmira keeper Julie Hockenberger '18 to handle, as she dazzled down the stretch to preserve the win.
 
All-Time Series
Elmira holds a perfect 2-0 all-time record against Keystone College. The last meeting between the programs came in 2013, with Elmira taking the decision by a 3-2 final at the Murray Athletic Center. Ashley Palmer '16 tallied a pair of goals for the Soaring Eagles, while Alli Gilbert '16 knocked-in a big insurance goal, which ended up as the game-winner, with just over four minutes remaining. The other meeting came in 2012, as Elmira took a 2-1 decision at Keystone.
 
Hockenberger Nabs Defensive Player of the Week
While the offense was yet again on point on Saturday, it was Elmira keeper Julie Hockenberger '18 who provided the biggest performance in the victory over Hartwick. She stopped a season-high 16 shots, including a pair of denials on penalty stroke opportunities, to help maintain the lead. The performance earned her Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week honors, as she became the first EC field hockey player to receive a weekly award from the conference office since Mikayla Rebusmen '17 was tabbed for the same distinction in Week Six of last season.
 
Twice is Nice
Kristy Haskell '19 showed her continued evolution as a top offensive playmaker for the Soaring Eagles against Hartwick. A week after scoring her first collegiate goal, she scored the opener just over 10-minutes into play on Saturday to give Elmira the early lead. She will look to continue her goal-scoring streak against the Giants on Tuesday.
 
First for Derco
Julia Derco '17 has been a strong defensive presence for the Soaring Eagles for the past few seasons; however, she got into the act in a different way on Saturday against Hartwick. The third-year defender found the back of the cage for the first time in her collegiate career, scoring the game-winner off of a penalty corner opportunity just 1:29 into the second half.
 
Gilbert Continues Her Streak
Star forward Alli Gilbert '16 has been a big part of the offense this season. Already shattering her previous career-high for assists, she got back into the goal scoring act when she tallied a big insurance goal for the Soaring Eagles on Saturday. With Saturday's tally, she has recorded at least one point in five consecutive games. She ranks 10^th in the Empire 8 with nine points on the year, and is third in the conference with five assists.
 
Scouting Keystone
Keystone College got off to a difficult start to the 2015 campaign, dropping its first four contests while getting outscored 23-to-2 in the process. The team has rebounded nicely since that dreadful start, as it enters the matchup on a two-game winning streak. First the Giants downed Wells College 1-0 in double-overtime on Wednesday, September 23^rd, before blasting Immaculata University 3-0 on Saturday, September 26^th. Shelby Croasdale, Genesis Pacheco and Rebecca Dempster sit atop the Keystone scoring charts with four points apiece. Dempster provided the punch in Saturday's win, tallying a pair of goals. Amy Denmon has seen all the playing time in the Giants cage this season. She enters with 99 saves and a very solid .811 save percentage. She has tallied clean sheets in her last two contests, and has gone 163:22 without allowing a goal.
 
Looking Ahead
The Soaring Eagles will continue their week of non-conference play on Saturday, October 3^rd, when the team travels to take on Oswego State at 1:00 p.m.