MANHEIM, PA – The University of Rochester field hockey team remained unbeaten on the 2018 season following a 2-0 victory over Juniata College on Saturday afternoon at the Spooky Nook Complex.
 
Rochester moves to 7-0 with the win, while Juniata falls to 2-3 on the season.
 
Senior captain Nancy Bansbach scored the opening goal off a penalty stroke in the 53rd minute and Kathryn Colone then celebrated her 19th birthday in style with a key insurance goal in the 63rd minute.  Bansbach's tally was her team leading eighth of the season, while Colone's was the first goal of her career.
 
In goal, Kate Kujawa picked up the shutout making three saves, while Kate Tiffany made a key first half defensive save to keep the Eagles off the board.
 
Juniata's Kylie Edwards made seven saves in the cage for the Eagles while a pair of players, Meredith Shepard and Grace Kuszmaul made defensive saves as well, preventing UR goals.
 
Juniata's first defensive save of the game came at the 12 minute mark when Bansbach tipped a shot to the left post off a penalty corner shot from Maya Haigis, only to see Shepard swipe the ball away before it entered the cage.
 
Tiffany made her excellent defensive save at the 28:44 mark of the half.  JC's Catherine Zvorsky controlled the ball along the right end line and drew Kujawa out of the cage.  Zvorsky then slipped in behind UR's keeper and ticked a shot on goal, only to see the UR senior clear it off the line for the save.
 
Throughout the remainder of the first half, the Eagles and Yellowjackets equally breaking up quality scoring chances inside the circle.
 
As time was expiring in the half, UR earning multiple corners and took a number of shots, only to be kept off the board again.  Kuszmaul's defensive save came in this flurry as she stopped a Haigis blast from entering the cage.
 

The second half started out strong for UR, as the 'Jackets earned a pair of corners in the opening two three minutes.  Juniata responded with a corner of its own in the 42nd minute, but Lindsay Scholten's attempt went just wide.
 
With 20 minutes on the clock, Juniata had a goal disallowed after it was ruled that the ball had deflected off an Eagle player in front of the net before the shot was taken.
 
With 17:40 left on the clock, Bansbach broke the scoreless draw by converting on a penalty stroke goal for UR.  It was ruled that a defensive player had fallen on the ball in the circle, preventing an imminent goal from happening.  Amanda Strenk set up the play with some nifty dribbling, evading defenders and taking an initial shot that was saved.
 
Ten minutes later, Colone made it 2-0 Rochester when she tipped in a pass across the goal mouth from teammate Jennifer Lee who dribbled in deep along the left wing.
 
Overall in the game, Rochester held a 21-11 edge in shots and 9-5 lead in corners.
 
UR returns to action on Thursday when they open the Liberty League season hosting William Smith College at Fauver Stadium at 6 pm.
 
Both teams hope to be back at Spooky Nook later in the season, as the Nook, which is home to USA Field Hockey, is hosting the 2018 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Final Four.