Field Hockey Closes Out Fairfield Friday Night at Buckley, 4-1

Friday, August 31

Buckley Field

7 p.m.

Drexel University

(2-1)

Fairfield

(2-1)

Fairfield

Drexel

Photo by: Greg Carroccio/Sideline Photos

Field Hockey Closes Out Fairfield Friday Night at Buckley, 4-1

8/31/2018 8:52:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - The Drexel field hockey team found its stride in the second half Friday night at Buckley Field to close strong in a 4-1 win over Fairfield. The Dragons moved to 2-1 on the year with the victory, while the Stags dropped to 2-1. Tess Bernheimer knocked home two goals for the Dragons. Puk Thewessen and Katie Pappas tallied the final two scores. Thewessen added an assist, while Paulina Reyelt assisted two Drexel goals.

With the rain falling and the sound check for the annual Made In America festival on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway clearly audible in the distance, both teams took their time feeling each other out to begin the game. Fairfield ripped some early shots, though Drexel goalkeeper Alexis Sokach and the Dragons' defense were up to the challenge, keeping the Stags off the board. The Dragons fought their way through the Stags' fast and physical style of play to strike first. On a penalty corner with just over seven minutes left in the first half, Thewessen ripped a shot from the top after the play developed, and the shot ricocheted off a defender to Bernheimer, who had initially entered the ball, on the far post. Bernheimer knocked it home and gave the Dragons the 1-0 halftime lead.

In the second half, the Dragons wasted no time to double their lead. Taking early control of the possession, Reyelt found herself just inside the top of the circle. As she went left, Reyelt dropped the ball back to the middle in front of the goal to find Bernheimer, who easily buried her second of the night and third of the season. Despite the Dragons controlling the ball, Fairfield found themselves with an opportunity midway through the half. After a blast from the point blocked on the penalty corner, Kaley McMullen found herself well-positioned at the far post to gather the rebound and find the back of the cage to cut Drexel's lead in half. The Dragons, however, immediately took the ball down the field and created scoring opportunities. Less than a minute after the Fairfield goal, Tess Horan tested Stags goalkeeper Zoe Rosen before forcing a penalty corner. On the play, Reyelt again found the open teammate, dropping a pass off to Thewessen for her first career goal with 15 minutes to go to give Drexel a 3-1 lead. About 10 minutes later, shortly after Fairfield had a scoring attempt turned away by Sokach, the Stags pulled Rosen with six minutes to play. The Dragons were unfazed despite the extra Fairfield player and added one more goal on a penalty corner with time expired off the stick of Pappas.

Drexel outshot Fairfield 11-9, including 8-3 in shots on goal. Rosen made four saves for the Stags, while Sokach needed just two saves, while guiding a strong team effort on defense, to preserve her second win in as many starts. The Dragons had six penalty corners to Fairfield's five.

The Dragons return to Buckley Field to close out its four-game homestand to begin the season Sunday against Indiana at noon. The game will be streamed live on Dragons TV.