Score: Keystone College 1, Elmira College 0
Records: Keystone (2-1), Elmira (0-4)
Location: Murray Athletic Center - Pine Valley, N.Y.

PINE VALLEY, N.Y. -- A late second-half goal lifted the visiting Giants of Keystone College to a 1-0 non-league victory over the Elmira College field hockey team at the Murray Athletic Center on Sunday afternoon.

After a relatively quiet first half, in which both sides registered a only two shots on goal in a scoreless draw, the intensity increased dramatically in the final 35 minutes of action. Most of the scoring opportunities were generated by the Soaring Eagles, however, it was the Giants who produced the only tally of the contest.

The Purple and Gold were awarded one of their 10 second-half penalty corners just a minute-and-a-half into the second period, one that resulted in a trio of close-range shots in a span of six seconds. Atu Machika '18 fired the first shot and returned the rebound towards the cage, but both were kicked away by Keystone goalie Megan Novak. The third-chance on the possession, another attempt right on the doorstep of the cage, was taken by Kelsie Aloi '21, but Novak was once again there for the stop.

The excitement continue on the other end of the field, as Novak's third save keyed an odd-woman rush towards the EC defensive zone. A pass out of the defensive third found Keystone's Heaven Houck, who cleared the ball beyond the midfield stripe to the Giants' leading scorer from a year ago, Kayla Bain. Bain outran Elmira's backline and was one-on-one with Julie Hockenberger '18, but the fourth-year goalie came up with a big kick save of her own.

The Soaring Eagles had two more good looks at the cage off penalty corners in the 42nd minute. The ball was swung around the arc to Emily Selbert '20 on the right side and the sophomore inserted it to Katie Carroll '18, who was camped just outside the right post. After Novak kicked away Carroll's deflected attempt, Matilda Kennedy-Butler '19 got her stick on ball to keep it inside the shooting arc and took a hearty swing of her own, but this time Novak knocked it away with her blocker.

Selbert had a similar look from the right side of the arc again in the 60th minute, with the score still tied at 0-0. Sarah McCaffrey '18 entered a penalty corner to Kennedy-Butler, who once again swung it wide to midfielder from Buffalo, New York. From nearly an identical spot, Selbert released a hard shot, and again Novak knocked it off of her the leg pad for another routine kick save.

Not long after, the Giants found the back of the cage for the lone goal of the game. Keystone's Savanna Robinson weaved through numerous defenders to move the ball to the center of the field, before being fouled just inside the 25-yard line. She wound up and rifled the ball into the shooting arc on the restart, which deflected off the heel of an Elmira defender. Shelby Croasdale was the first to get to the ball and her shot sailed high over outstretched arm of Hockenberger for what proved to be the game-winning goal with 4:58 left in regulation.

Down by one, the Purple and Gold directed two more shots on cage off of penalty corners inside the final three minutes of action, both of which were stopped by Novak, who accumulated 11 saves in the shutout victory.

News and Notes

• Elmira falls to 0-4 on the season and is 0-2 at the MAC this year.
• The Soaring Eagles suffered heartbreaking one-goal losses in back-to-back games over the weekend.
• Keystone won its first game in the series against EC, although the Soaring Eagles still boast a 3-1 lead all-time against the Giants.
• All four games in the series with Keystone have been decided by one goal.
• Hockenberger made her first start of the 2017 season on Sunday afternoon.

Up Next
Elmira's non-conference slate continues with a road trip to Oswego, New York, as the Soaring Eagles take on the Lakers of Oswego State in a mid-week match on Wednesday, September 13, at 4:00 p.m.