College Field Hockey: Rider University 4, Quinnipiac University 1

LAWRENCEVILLE — Led by two goals from senior Gabby Burgo (Collingswood), the Rider University field hockey team advanced to the championship game of the Northeast Conference for the 11th time in the past 13 seasons with a 4-1 win over Quinnipiac University on Friday afternoon (Nov. 2) at Ben Cohen Field.

For the third season in a row, the Bronc opponent in the finals will be Monmouth University who defeated Saint Francis (Pa.) 3-1 in the first semifinal.

A Second Team All-NEC honoree, Burgo opened the scoring at 14:43 of the opening half, converting a penalty corner with junior Sandra Penas (Barcelona, Spain) and senior Marlaine Schneider (Feasterville, Pa./Neshaminy) picking up the assists.  Schneider, a Second Team All-NEC honoree, is eighth on Rider’s all-time scoring list with 106 points (35g, 36a).

Burgo tipped in a pass from freshman Allison Muschs (Linkebeek, Belgium) 9:18 before the half to give the Broncs a two-goal lead at intermission.  Burgo now has 12 goals on the season and she moved into a tie for 22nd on Rider’s all-time scoring list with 43 points (19g, 5a).

With Rider (14-5) a player down due to a yellow card, Quinnipiac (12-7) scored 5:27 into the second half, cutting the Bronc lead to one.

Muschs converted a penalty stroke with 13:09 remaining to give the Broncs a two-goal lead.  Muschs now has seven goals on the season and is five for five on penalty strokes.

A First Team All-NEC honoree, Penas scored her team-leading 17th goal of the season with 7:39 remaining for the final score.

Penas is now fifth on Rider’s all-time scoring list with 126 points (51g, 24a).

Rider has won 15 of the 26 meetings all-time against Quinnipiac, dating back to 1998.  The Bobcats handed the Broncs their only NEC loss of the season, 3-2 on October 14 in Hamden, Connecticut.  Rider improved to 4-2 all-time against Quinnipiac in the NEC playoffs.

Rider out-shot Quinnipiac 22-5 (17-4 in shots on goal) and the Broncs held a 12-8 penalty corner advantage.

Freshman Joelle Prettyman (Newark, Del./St. Mark’s) out-dueled the NEC Goalie of the Year, Nicole Lewis for her eighth win of the season.  Prettyman made three saves with Lewis making 13 saves for the Bobcats.

Rider defeated Monmouth 5-2 on October 28 in Lawrenceville and the Broncs also defeated their in-state rivals for the 2011 championship 2-1 and the 2010 title 1-0, both games in Lawrenceville.

Monmouth upset the top seeded Broncs 2-1 in overtime in the 2009.  Rider defeated the Hawks in the 2004 semifinals (4-0), the 2001 semifinals (3-1) and the 2000 semifinals (1-0).

Rider is now 25-1 all-time at the lighted campus turf field which opened in the fall of 2010.

The Broncs have won the 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011 and now the 2012 NEC regular season titles.

Rider has been in 10 of the last 12 NEC title games, winning the championship in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2010 and 2011.

1. 14:43

RID Burgo, Gabby Penas, Sandra, Schneider, Marlaine

2. 25:42

RID Burgo, Gabby Muschs, Allison 

3. 40:33

QU ZIMNISKI, Lauren (unassisted) 

4. 56:51

RID Muschs, Allison

5. 62:21

RID Penas, Sandra (unassisted)