Rutgers Rolls Past VCU, 4-0
Sep 21 | Field Hockey
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Senior Amy Lewis (Hainesport, N.J.) tallied her third hat trick of the season to lead Rutgers to a 4-0 victory over VCU in collegiate field hockey action on Sunday afternoon at RU Stadium Complex. With the win, the Scarlet Knights improve to 7-1 on the year while the Rams move to an even 4-4 mark.
| GK Laren CeCerbo held VCU scoreless. (Tom Ciszek/NJSportsPhoto) PHOTO GALLERY |
"We need to make sure we are finishing. We have to be able to score more goals in the first half when the stats are that lop-sided. I think the girls have a healthy perspective from the last game to this one today," head coach Liz Tchou said. "I was really happy with the way we attacked, scored and finished in the second half."
With less than two minutes left in the first half, Rutgers drew its tenth corner of the stanza. Junior Melissa Bowman (Ronks, Pa.) took the corner and sent it in to sophomore Jenna Bull (Oakville, Ontario) for the set. Lewis drilled a shot at the cage but the ball was stopped by VCU goalkeeper Laura Baker.
Freshman Christie Morad (Marlton, N.J.) came up with the ball in traffic, sending a long pass from the right side to Bowman. The junior was perched on the left of the cage and tapped it in for the score. The goal was Bowman's second of the year and proved to be the game-winner.
RU would have 10 of its 17 total shots in the first half and collect seven of its nine penalty corners.
The second stanza proved to be one of the best played of the year for the Scarlet Knights. Five minutes into the half, junior Katie Feely (Collingswood, N.J) made a spectacular run up the field. The midfielder weaved her way through traffic, dribbling by a host of defenders for close to 40 yards. She slid the ball to Lewis who did a 360 degree pivot, scooting the ball past the goalie for the 2-0 lead.
Less than three minutes later, sophomore Jill Beck (Spring City, Pa.) had a hard shot on goal stopped by Baker. The rebound found Lewis' stick who fired back as the shot was deflected off a defender for the 3-0 edge.
The fourth team goal and third from Lewis was technically set-up by teammate Brittany Bybel (Millville, N.J.). Off a corner, Bybel drilled a bullet towards the cage. It would have crossed the goal line had a VCU player not used a foot to stop the ball which resulted in a penalty stroke reward. Lewis converted the stroke for the final 4-0 score.
"I think it is (one of the best halves we have played)," Tchou said. Amy is very unselfish and she wants others to score. When the defense keyed in on her, others stepped up and were able to execute and we didn't have many unforced errors in our corner sets."
Rutgers steps back into BIG EAST play, taking on Georgetown on Friday, Sept. 26 in College Park,
