MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Centre field hockey earned perhaps its most impressive victory of the regular season Sunday in Tennessee, defeating Southern Athletic Association rival Rhodes, 3-1, at Mason Field.
The perennial top programs in the conference, Centre (5-2, 3-0 SAA) and Rhodes (6-1, 1-1) have a history of close matches that often have SAA Tournament and NCAA postseason implications. But a pair of second-half goals was the difference Sunday, as the Colonels handed the host Lynx their first loss of the season – and first since Centre's 4-1 win at Rhodes in last year's SAA Championship.
HIGHLIGHTS
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Caroline Brotzge opened the game with her sixth goal of the season in the sixth minute of action following a penalty corner.
- Rhodes' Hailey Mules evened the match at 1-1 in the 16th minute, and the two teams would head into the half with the same tally.
- Centre again took a quick lead out of the halftime break, with
Sarah Biggs scoring to make it 2-1. It marked Biggs' team-high 10th goal of the season.
- Holding onto a one-goal edge for more than 20 minutes, the Colonels all but sealed the win on
Savannah Elpers' goal in the 65th minute. The junior trails only Biggs with nine goals this season.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Although relatively even in the opening half, Centre out-shot Rhodes 8-3 in the second, and put 12 of its 15 total shots on target (Rhodes had only four SOG).
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Kristen Mulcahy came up with three saves while playing the full 70 minutes in-goal for the Colonels.
UP NEXT
Centre has a pair of matches in Harrisonburg, Va., next weekend, beginning against host Eastern Mennonite at 12 p.m. ET. The Colonels then play 10th-ranked Christopher Newport in a neutral site affair Sunday at 12 p.m.
