Field Hockey
After winning its first MAC game of the season, Eastern took on a very tough squad from Rowan University. Eastern gave up an early goal just a few minutes into the contest, but the defense buckled down to keep Rowan scoreless for the rest of the first half.
Sophomore Yvonne Herbster tied the game at one midway through the first half.
Rowan again scored an early goal in the second half but the Eagles were unable to come back, falling 2-1. Junior Laura Ressler had a stellar performance in goal, recording 15 saves for Eastern.
After taking a few days off, the team was back on the field in a non-league match against Alvernia. For the second consecutive game, Eastern gave up the first goal to the opponent.
Senior Kim Campbell scored an unassisted goal to tie the game at one. The team earned two late goals in the second half, one by senior Olivia Derr and one by Herbster, to secure the 3-2 win.
On Sept. 30, the Eagles defeated FDU-Florham, 3-0. Sophomore Courtney Reinhold led Eastern with 18 kills while first-year Rachel Wenger finished with 11. Senior Maria Horning picked up 32 assists and first-year Kelly Groff tallied three aces.
The team extended its win steak to 14 with a victory over John Hopkins at Haverford College on Oct. 3. Later in the day, the Eagles fell to Haverford, 3-2, marking only their second loss of the season. The teams, ranked 23rd and 22nd respectively at time, battled constantly in the five-game thriller, with the Fords taking the victory in the fifth game, 16-14.
At Manhattanville, Eastern rediscovered its winning form, defeating the Valiants in an efficient 3-0 match. Eastern collected 14 aces on the day, while sophomore Mary Poole finished with eight kills on 14 attacks. Eastern only allowed Manhattanville to score 27 points in the entire contest.
Cross Country
The women’s team finished in second place as the men finished in sixth at the Goldey-Beacom College Invitational on Oct. 3. Sophomore Whitney Kerner led the pack for the women while first-year Alex Evenson recorded the best time for the men.
At the Cabrini Invitational at Belmont Plateau on Oct. 10, the women finished tenth and the men finished eleventh. Kerner again finished first for the women in the 27th spot while sophomore Jonathan Holbert led the men with a 30:13 time on the 5-mile course.
Women’s Tennis
Eastern enjoyed an undefeated two weeks, with a close 5-4 victory over Albright College on Oct. 6. Junior Jacquelyn Sauder and sophomore Amanda Prescott sealed the win for Eastern by clinching the win in their doubles match.
The team defeated DeSales later in the week, 6-3, with senior Hannah Tobin winning both her singles and doubles matches.
Men’s Soccer
The men’s soccer team seemed to fix its struggling offense with a 3-0 victory against Centenary College on Sept. 29. Sophomores Brandon Gross, Drew Bixler and Matt Demascola all scored goals.
However, in the team’s first conference game against King’s, the Eagles had trouble finding the back of the net. Eastern only recorded four shots on goal in the 1-0 loss.
In a non-conference match against Ursinus, the Eagles drew first blood when first-year Ryan Rohrer knocked in his second goal of the season, but fell 2-1 due to two late goals by the Bears, with the game-winner coming in overtime.
The Lady Eagles have been on a roll recently. The defense has only given up 2 goals throughout the past two weeks.
On Sept. 30, Eastern hosted Moravian College and won the non-conference match, 1-0, on a goal by senior Jill DiRenzo.
Later in the week, the team downed King’s College at home, 6-0. Sophomore Kristine Zeiset scored two goals in the contest while sophomore Tess Beckwith, first-year Alysia Goodman, junior Liza O’Keefe and DiRenzo each added goals of their own.
On Oct. 7, the Lady Eagles faced their toughest competition of the season in #1 Messiah College. Despite falling 1-0 from an early goal, the Eastern defense was able to hold the Falcons’ high-powered offense to a single score.