Health & Fitness
College Field Hockey: Rider University 2, Saint Francis (Pa.) University 1
Sophomore Katie Fanning scored her first career goal with less than five minutes left in regulation as the Rider University field hockey team defeated Saint Francis (Pa.) 2-1 Friday evening (Oct. 26).
LAWRENCEVILLE — Sophomore Katie Fanning (Bridgewater/Bridgewater-Raritan) scored her first career goal with less than five minutes left in regulation as the Rider University field hockey team defeated Saint Francis (Pa.) 2-1 at Ben Cohen Field Friday evening (Oct. 26) in Lawrenceville.
Fanning collected a rebound with 4:48 left to break the 1-1 tie.
Undefeated in Northeast Conference play coming into the contest, Saint Francis opened the scoring with 4:29 left in the first half before Rider junior Sandra Penas (Barcelona, Spain) used a rush up the left side just 24 seconds later to tie the game at 1-1.
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For Penas, the reigning NEC Offensive Player of the Year, it was her team-leading 14th goal of the season and the 48 goal of her Rider career.
The teams went into intermission tied 1-1.
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Rider out-shot the Red Flash 26-11 and the Broncs held a 19-6 penalty corner advantage.
Freshman goalie Joelle Prettyman (Newark, Del./St. Mark’s) made four saves to pick up her sixth win of the season.
Jill Dicola made 14 saves for the Red Flash, including nine in the second half and several from point blank range.
Rider defeated Saint Francis (Pa.) twice last season, 2-0 at Loretto, Pa. and 2-0 in the NEC playoffs in Lawrenceville. Rider improves to 15-0 all-time against the Red Flash.
Rider (12-5, 5-1 NEC) and Saint Francis (11-5, 5-1 NEC) enter the final day of the regular season tied for first place with the Broncs holding the head to head tiebreaker. If Rider defeats Monmouth University at 3pm Sunday, the Broncs will host the four-team NEC playoffs November 2-3.
Rider has won six NEC regular season titles, including the last three in a row (2001, 2003, 2005,2009, 2010, 2011) and the Broncs have won five NEC tournament titles (2000, 2002, 2004, 2010, 2011), including the last two in a row.
Rider has qualified for the NEC playoffs all 13 seasons under head coach Lori Hussong.
1. 30:31
SFU_FH MASON, Kellie (unassisted)
2. 30:55
RID Penas, Sandra (unassisted)
3. 65:12 RID Fanning, Katie (unassisted)
