PHILADELPHIA – It was a perfect day out at Ellen Vagelos Field on Friday afternoon, cruising to a 7-2 victory over Ivy League foe Columbia to register Head Coach
Colleen Fink's 100th victory with the University of Pennsylvania field hockey program.
Quaker Notemeal
*The seven goals for Penn are the most in a single game since the 2015 season when the Quakers defeated Saint Joseph's, 7-3.
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Allison Kuzyk set a career high with a hat trick of goals, all in the first half of play. Her three goals tie her for sixth in program history for goals in a single game. The record is five, set by Alexa Hoover in the 2015 game against Saint Joseph's. No other Ivy League player has squared three goals in a single game this season, while her six points for the game has only been done by one other Ivy player this season (Princeton's Beth Yeager against Monmouth).
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Courtney Kenah scored twice in the game, extending her team-leading goal tally to seven, a mark that places her sixth in the Ivy League this season. Kuzyk is right behind her in seventh with six goals this season.
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Gracyn Banks had a goal and an assist in the game, putting her into double-digit points this season with 11 off three goals and five assists.
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Livia Loozen scored the seventh goal, her second finish of her collegiate career.
*Besides Banks' helper,
Sydney Huang,
Elita Van Staden and
Sophie Freedman all registered an assist in the game.
*The Quakers outshot Columbia, 18-5, in the game. It's the most shots Penn has had this season, and the second least by any opponent.
*Back in the cage,
Frederique Wollaert recorded the victory, making two saves in 60 minutes of work. She has five wins this season with 57 saves on a 1.91 goals-against average.
How It Happened
The scoring came early and often in the Ivy battle, with the Quakers scoring at least a goal in all four quarters.
The first three goals were all Kuzyk, capping off the hat trick by the 16th minute.
Her first of the game came just 2:30 into the start, as Freedman found room on the right side of the circle, sending a pass into the middle by Kuzyk dropped her stick in for the redirect and finish.
With 15 seconds left in the first quarter, Kuzyk connected again. This time, she had some room on the left side of the circle to draw the Lion keeper out. With the keeper sliding in, Kuzyk chipped the ball over her body and into the cage.
Penn outshot the Lions, 4-0, in the first frame and continued the offensive prowess in the second where the Quakers added five more. Kuzyk and Kenah kept their foot on the pedal early in the second, scoring two more in the first 1:30 of the restart.
Kuzyk capped off her hat trick less than a minute in, receiving a pass from Huang on the left side of the circle for the redirect again. Less than a minute later, the Quakers earned a penalty corner. Kenah, who inserted to the top of the circle, stepped in and waited for the quick pass back from Banks for the left side finish.
Columbia got on the board in the 17th minute, attempted to slow down the Quakers, but Kenah had different feelings. The sophomore midfielder answered with five minutes left until the half, going unassisted on her second goal of the game.
The second half remained Penn in command, as Banks scored the lone goal of the third quarter off a penalty corner.
In the final quarter, the last Quaker goal found the back of the cage. In transition, Penn found itself with a 3-on-2 opportunity. Van Staden pushed the ball to the top of the circle, quickly pushing a pass to the right side for Loozen who was wide open. Without hesitation, Loozen sent a shot past the keeper on a one-on-one shot for the seventh goal of the evening.
The Lions would add one more in the quarter, but the gap was too large to make a run back into the game.
Up Next
The Quakers conclude their home portion of the schedule on Sunday, hosting Delaware for Senior Day. Prior to the game, Penn will recognize the seven seniors on the squad. Start time is set for 1 p.m., at Ellen Vagelos Field.
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