Trio of Goal Scorers Leads Field Hockey Past Arcadia, 3-2
SWARTHMORE, Pa. - Sophomore Sophia Agathis smashed the game-winning goal from the top of the circle in the 56th minute, while sophomore Catie Meador and freshman Nia Jones added first-half goals as the Swarthmore College field hockey team (4-6, 1-2) held off Arcadia for the 3-2 victory on Wednesday afternoon from Clothier Field Stadium.
Agathis scored the game-winning goal in the 56th minute.
The Garnet - returning home for the first time in 14 days - played inspired ball during the first half, out-shooting the visiting Knights 10-3 and controlling possession for nearly the entire period.
After several scoring opportunities were thwarted, Swat got on the board in the 19th minute, as senior captain Sophia Ferguson fed the ball to Jones in front of the net, who then one-timed the ball into the back of the cage for her fifth goal of the season, giving the Garnet the 1-0 lead.
Just four minutes later in the 23rd minute, Swarthmore added to the lead thanks a penalty stroke from Meador - her second of the season - to extend the Garnet lead to 2-0.
Despite the Garnet dominance in play, the Knights would find their way on to the scoreboard just before the half, as Abigail Brockelbank scored in the 30th minute, cutting the Swat lead to 2-1 at the half.
In the second half, the game Knights and Garnet played even field hockey for the first 20 minutes of play and the game appeared headed towards a climatic finish. But immediately following a Swarthmore timeout in the 56th minute, Agathis took the ball, dribbled to the top of the circle and blasted a rocket towards the cage, striking gold and giving the Garnet a needed insurance goal to make it a 3-1 game.
The goal proved its worth just minutes later, as Arcadia's Marilyn Beatty scored to cut the lead to 3-2 in the 64th minute. Still, it was too little, too late, as the Garnet maintained possession for the final minutes to secure the 3-2 win.
In goal for the Garnet, senior Katie Ashmore made two saves.
Swarthmore returns to Centennial Conference action on Saturday with a trip to Dickinson. Action is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m.
Video: Ferguson and Jones give the Garnet the early lead