Diplomats Defeat Swarthmore in Season Finale
Nov 1, 2008
LANCASTER, Pa. - Seniors Pam Cassidy and Jess Mancino each scored a goal in their final collegiate home game to lead Franklin & Marshall over Swarthmore 4-2 in Centennial Conference (CC) field hockey action on Saturday.
The Diplomats (6-11, 3-7 CC) scored two goals in each half to end the season on a positive note, collecting their sixth win and third conference victory.
Cassidy started the scoring off a cross from Katie Datin with 5:55 gone in the first half. Datin sent the ball in and Cassidy tipped it in on the run for a 1-0 lead.
The Garnet (5-13, 1-9 CC) tied it up with Devon Novotnak's pass from the middle to the left onto the stick of Natalie Stone, who scored on a wide-open cage and forcing an F&M timeout at the 16th minute.
Nora Kinney netted her first goal of the season to give the Diplomats a 2-1 edge at 22:07, blasting a straight shot from the top of the circle.
After the break, Eileen O'Reilly finished an assist from Mollie Ruben off a penalty corner in the 49th minute for a two-goal lead.
Ashley Gunter brought the game within 3-2 on a penalty stroke at 51:47, but Mancino made her last collegiate goal count with just 28 seconds left to put the Diplomats up 4-2 for the final margin.
Senior Jen Burdo made five saves in the cage in her last appearance and Gina Grubb matched that number for Swarthmore.
