Box Score 
RICHMOND, Va. – The fingernails of the Virginia Commonwealth
University field hockey coaching staff needed a break after two
tough one-goal losses in New York last weekend.
Sophomore Arialle Hess
(Allentown, Pa.) and her teammates delivered that break
with a decisive 4-1 victory over Big Ten power Northwestern at Cary
Street Field on Friday afternoon.
"I'm really, really proud of our girls and the way continued to
fight tonight," Head Coach Kelly McQuade said.
"After two close games last week, our depth really gave us great
minutes today and we were able to keep the pressure on them for 70
minutes."
After the two teams traded possession for most of the first two
minutes, Hess, a transfer from Temple, fought for a loose ball in
front of the cage and flipped in her first goal in the Black &
Gold to give VCU a 1-0 advantage in the ninth minute.
Chelsea Armstrong helped Northwestern climb back into it as she
gathered a loose ball in front and found a streaking Reagan Mooney,
who flicked in her second goal of the year and evened the score at
1-1 in the 21st minute.
A beautifully executed corner gave the Rams a 2-1 lead heading
into the intermission as Stephanie
DeMasi (Virginia Beach, Va.) send a pass to Flore
van Dessel (Oisterwijk, The Netherlands), who set up
sophomore Kelsey
Scherrer (Chesapeake, Va.) for her second goal of the
season.
Hess would give the Black & Gold some breathing room in the
47th minute as she dribbled through the Wildcat defense
and blasted a shot home for a 3-1 advantage.
Freshman Emilie Soares
(Santa Clara, Calif.) put the game away as she battled for
a rebound and finally was able to tally her first collegiate goal
in the 57th minute.
As potent as the offense was, the backline of the Black &
Gold, which features all underclassmen, was stellar, holding
Northwestern to just one defensive corner.
"The defensive corners were something that we had trouble with
up in New York, but our girls worked hard this week and it really
showed today," McQuade said. "Just an outstanding job by the whole
team and hopefully we can carry that momentum into tomorrow."
The Rams will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when the
Hawks of St. Joe's visit Cary Street Field for a 1 p.m.
contest.
