CHESTER, Pa. (Oct. 12, 2016) – Junior Eliza Newlin (Lewisburg, Pa.) scored a goal and tallied an assist to propel the Widener University field hockey team to a 2-1 victory over Wilkes on Wednesday evening at Edith R. Dixon Field.
 
Wilkes (8-6) took control in the early going by firing the first six shot attempts of the game, but Widener was able to capitalize on their first opportunity to open the scoring. Kayla Herr (Lancaster, Pa.) rifled a shot off a Newlin penalty corner that was saved by goalkeeper Dallas Kendra, and Newlin was in the right spot to pot the rebound.
 
The Colonels, who had a 10-2 advantage in total shots in the opening frame, continued to challenge Pride goalkeeper Victoria Byrne (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.) and were eventually able to knot the score off a penalty corner of their own. Haley Gayoski sent a long pass from right to left, and Surdy shot a rocket to the back of the cage in the 34th minute.
 
With the teams deadlocked at 1-1, the Pride went on the offensive early in the second half and did not hold anything back. Shortly after senior captain Colleen Riley (Tannersville, Pa.) took a pass from sophomore Kelly Ramsdale (East Stroudsburg, Pa.) and nearly scored on a shot that barely went wide, the hosts capitalized on their third penalty corner of the frame when Herr finished a pass from Newlin. The junior captain's ninth goal of the season proved to be the difference, as Byrne came up with a huge save down the stretch to keep the Colonels at bay.
 
Byrne picked up her first collegiate victory between the pipes by making two saves for Widener, while Wilkes' Kendra suffered the loss after turning away one shot. Defender Amanda Tredinnick recorded a defensive save off a shot by Widener's Sam Scoma (Blue Bell, Pa.) in the 61st minute to keep the visitors within striking distance until the very end.
 
Widener (6-6) returns to Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth action when it hosts Lebanon Valley on Saturday, Oct. 15 at noon during Homecoming Weekend. Seniors Dana Adamson (Warrington, Pa.), Alyssa Buckley (Flourtown, Pa.), Meghan McLaughlin (Woolwich Township, N.J.), Mikayla Ninos (Northampton, Pa.) and Riley will be recognized for their contributions to the program prior to the contest.