Junior Ashley Allen looks to move past Earlham's defense during today's 6-3 home victory

Photo by Seth Binder '07

by Erik Kojola '09

October 28, 2006 -- On a wet and sloppy Saturday morning, the Oberlin College women’s field hockey team rallied from a one-goal deficit in the first half to defeat Earlham College, 6-3. The victory ends the Yeowomen’s season on a high-note and puts their final record at 6-10 (4-7 NCAC), while Earlham fell to 2-15 (0-12 NCAC) for the year.

The Yeowomen went into the half-time break down 2-3, but in the second half they would score four unanswered goals to secure a victory. The game was played quite closely as Oberlin did not tie the game until the 59th minute and took the lead with ten minutes left in the match. Oberlin dominated possession but Earlham proved to be effective on the counter-attack.

Oberlin found the back of the net first in the eighth minute with a goal by first-year Catherine Meredith, which was assisted by junior Ashley Allen (her team-leading seventh assist of the season). Earlham would answer four minutes later with a goal by junior Anna Benfield that was assisted by first-year Nicole VanSycoc. Earlham took the lead a few minutes later on a goal by Becca Jordan. With a few minutes left before halftime, Oberlin would get the equalizer from a goal by senior co-captain Samantha Krykostas. Earlham was not done yet, though, and scored in the last minute of the half to take a one-goal lead into the intermission.

In the second half, the Yeowomen tightened up on defense and were able to convert on their scoring opportunities. In the 59th minute of the match, Meredith scored the tying goal off an assist by Kyrkostas. The goal was Meredith’s team leading 14th of the season. Two minutes later, the Yeowomen would take the lead as Allen scored what would eventually be the gamewining goal. Oberlin was awarded a penalty shot with less than two minutes left in the game, their second of the day. Soon after, senior co-captain Claire Cheney shot the ball past the goalkeeper’s foot to extend the Yeowomen’s lead to two. In the waning seconds of the match, sophomore Abigail Brox put the finishing touches on the victory scoring her tenth goal of the season off a penalty corner.

Defensively, Oberlin was led by junior goalkeeper Lauren Malinowski, who had 13 saves on the day. Junior Christine Politis and sophomore Holly Sloffman each had a defensive save. For Earlham, sophomore Katherine McDonough made 12 saves in goal.

The Yeowomen were able to overcome sloppy field conditions and only a few substitute players to earn a victory in their final game of the 2006 season and end their four-game losing skid. This was the last game in Oberlin uniforms for senior co-captains Cheney and Kyrkostas.

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