CHESTER Pa. – The Widener University field hockey team secured its eighth straight win, taking down the DeSales University Bulldogs 3-1 on Tuesday evening.

The result marked the first 8-0 start for the program since 2007.

Highlights

• Gianna Perna tallied three points, scoring one goal and assisting on another.
• Lexie Eberly was a force to be reckoned with on the defensive end, breaking up attacks all night. The senior captain also got her sixth goal of the season.
• Jackie Daniels fired off six shots, all on cage, and provided the first goal of the contest.
• Eberly and Daniels are now the team-leaders in scoring with six each.
• Sabrina Roberto stopped five shots.

How it happened
WU generated multiple scoring chances in the first quarter but solid play from the Bulldogs goalkeeper kept the game even at zero heading into the second. The Blue and Gold was granted a penalty corner early in the second period and capitalized on the opportunity. Perna took the corner and found Jesse Schlosser, who dished it off to Daniels for the first score of the night. The Pride's second goal also came after a penalty corner. Eberly was in the right place at the right time and buried a shot past the DeSales keeper, giving Widener a two-goal advantage at halftime.

The Bulldogs built some momentum in the third quarter, recording four shots in the first five minutes. Meredith Benson came up with a big defensive save to keep the margin at two. With nearly a minute remaining in the quarter, Perna provided some insurance for WU, increasing the deficit to three after finishing on a rebounded save.

DeSales got one back in the final quarter and it could have been more, if not for the four saves made by Roberto, including a breakaway stop with 10 minutes remaining. The Pride carried its 3-1 lead until the final whistle.

Up next
Widener begins MAC Commonwealth play on Saturday, September 28, traveling to Frederick, Md. to take on Hood College at 4:00 p.m.