Score: College of Wooster 3, Elmira College 0
Records: Elmira (1-1), Wooster (2-0)
Location: Murray Athletic Center -- Pine Valley, N.Y.

PINE VALLEY, N.Y. -- The Elmira College field hockey team played tough against the College of Wooster on a scorching Sunday afternoon at the Murray Athletic Center, but the Fighting Scots improved to 2-0 on the young season following a 3-0 victory over the Soaring Eagles.

Although the glaring sun and warm temperatures took a toll on players from both sides, the Purple and Gold managed to limit the Fighting Scots to just three goals in 70 minutes of action, this after Wooster put up 14 goals in a season-opening win over Wells College yesterday afternoon. EC's third-year goalkeeper, Tina O'Donnell '20, made 17 saves in nearly 67 minutes of playing time. O'Donnell made eight saves in the first 19-plus minutes to keep Wooster's high-powered offense off of the scoreboard until Caitlyn O'Connor netted the first of her two tallies on the day in the 20th minute.

Trailing by one by one before halftime, the Soaring Eagles were able to generate some pressure inside their attacking zone. Elmira advanced the ball inside the circle, but Matilda Kennedy-Butler '19 was denied on EC's only shot attempt of the possession in the final two minutes of the opening half.

Five of Elmira's shots and two of the team's penalty corners came in the second half, but the Soaring Eagles were unable to crack Wooster keeper Katie Shideler. Shortly after the Fighting Scots doubled their lead to 2-0 in the second half, Janie Kempf '21 was able to release a pair of shots, one of which sailed wide of its target. In the 46th minute, Schideler blocked another attempt off the stick of Kempf to preserve the shutout.

Despite constant pressure applied by the Wooster offense and being one player short for much of the remaining minutes, the Soaring Eagle defense was able to halt several promising runs and odd-woman rushes, allowing just one more goal before the final whistle. Holly Karalus '21 and Liz Shephard '21, who played the last three minutes of regulation as a kicking back, each earned a defensive save in the second period to help limit the damage.

News and Notes

• Elmira falls to 1-1 on the season, while Wooster improved to 2-0.
• The Fighting Scots lead the all-time series against EC, 1-0, after winning the inaugural meeting on Sunday.
• O'Donnell has recorded double-digit saves in both starts in 2018.
• O'Donnell leads the Empire 8 Conference with 16.00 saves per game through her first two appearances.
• Karalus and Shephard each picked up their first defensive saves of the 2018 campaign.

Up Next
Elmira returns to the Murray Athletic Center on Wednesday, September 5, when the Purple and Gold host Oswego State to conclude a season-opening three-game homestand. The contest is slated to begin at 4:00 p.m.