Box Score
Recap courtesy of Salisbury University
SALISBURY, MD – The #3 Salisbury University field hockey team advanced to the third round of the NCAA Division III field hockey tournament, eliminating defending champion #6 Tufts University, 1-0, on Saturday morning at Sea Gull Stadium.
Junior midfielder Summer Washburn helped the Sea Gulls (15-3) avoid overtime, putting home the game's only goal with 29 seconds showing on the clock in the second half.
After a game in which each team had good chances to score and Salisbury held a 24-13 edge in shots, sophomore Courtney Jantzen carried the ball deep into the right corner of the field and fired a cross that passed by one Sea Gull forward on the near side of the goal. Washburn was waiting at the far post to pop the one-timer into the cage, for the 1-0 win.
Washburn ended the final strong threat for the Jumbos (15-3) a minute and a half before her goal, blocking a shot by Dakota Sikes-Keilp.
The win sends Salisbury to the national quarterfinal on Sunday against Wellesley College, which defeated Ursinus College, 3-0, on Saturday. Tufts' season is over with a 15-3 mark.
Saturday's game began with each team being careful in the midfield, with the teams rarely getting possession inside the circle in the opening eight minutes of the game. Salisbury was able to attempt the first shot of the contest, when the Sea Gulls drew a Tufts foul in the circle and were awarded three-consecutive penalty corners and got off a flurry of six shots, the best effort being a clear look from sophomore Samantha Johnson from six yards out, which was turned away by Jumbos keeper Brianna Keenan.
Salisbury put another group of shots on goal eight minutes later, but would find nothing to show for it, with three more Keenan saves. The Tufts keeper had six saves in the first half, and finished the day with 10.
The Jumbos would get their chances in the closing minutes of the first half, firing off five shots, four on target, and all five coming in the final eight minutes of the first period. Salisbury junior goalkeeper Rachel Clewer stopped two of the shots and senior back Katie Hastings made defensive saves on consecutive shots by Sikes-Keilp and Emily Cannon to keep the game scoreless at halftime.
Clewer finished with seven saves in the match.
Salisbury held a 12-8 edge in shots in the second half, with each team getting opportunities to take the lead, but neither would come through until Washburn broke the tie.
Sunday's national quarterfinal contest will begin at 1 pm. The winner of that game will travel south to the national semifinal round, being played at the USA Field Hockey Training Center in Newport News, VA next Friday, Nov. 22 at 2 pm.
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