READING, Pa. – The Franklin & Marshall field hockey team scored three times during the fourth quarter to run away with a 4-0 victory at Alvernia on Wednesday night. Keira Boensch scored the eventual game-winning goal with just 10 minutes remaining in the opening half. The Diplomats put the contest away for good in the fourth with two goals from Jessica Miller while Hannah Fitzgerald scored her first career goal in the victory.
Boensch's 10th career goal was also the fourth game-winning goal of the junior's career and came during the 21st minute of action. She took a pass from Annie Malatesta and finished for her first goal of the season, with Malatesta's assist being her second helper on the year. F&M finished the first 30 minutes with an 8-3 advantage in shots, but four saves from the Golden Wolves kept the game close until the fourth quarter.
Franklin & Marshall continued to pepper the Alvernia circle during the third quarter as it had the only four shots of the period, but three more saves continued to keep the match tight. That would all change in the final period when the Diplomats scored on three of their final five shots. Each of those three goals came in a span of just 4:09 as Miller scored during the 52nd and 56th minute of action. She now has a team-leading four goals on the year after the fifth multi-goal contest of her career. Caitlin Hoover was credited with the assist for her pass on F&M's second goal, also moving her into a tie for the team lead with two helpers.
When Miller wasn't scoring during the final minutes, she and Abby D'Anjolell set up Fitzgerald's first career goal to give Miller a career-best five points on the evening. Fitzgerald became the sixth different Diplomat to find the back of the cage this year while Miller's assist was her second of the season. D'Anjolell's assist was the first point of her career.
Finishing the contest with a 17-6 advantage in shots, the Diplomats also owned a 12-5 edge in penalty corners. Meghan Dole stopped all five shots on goal that she faced throughout the contest to record the team's second shutout of the season.
Field hockey will wrap up its non-conference portion of the regular season schedule this Saturday, September 21 when the Diplomats welcome Washington and Lee to Tylus Field for a 12 p.m. noon first pass.
