Box Score MADISON, N.J. (Oct. 25, 2014) – The Drew University field hockey team preserved its playoff hopes with a 3-1 victory over Elizabethtown College on Saturday afternoon at Ranger Stadium on Senior Day. The Rangers improve to 2-3 in the Landmark Conference and sit in fifth place, one game out of a playoff qualifying position.
 
After the Blue Jays (9-6, 3-2 Landmark Conference) took a quick 1-0 lead in the game's first minute, the Rangers rattled off three unanswered goals by juniors Amber De Marco, Michelle Fallon and Kirby Clark while the defense posted four defensive saves and junior goalkeeper Sarah Stewart had four saves to help hold the lead throughout the game. Seniors Melissa Boyd and Alex De Sousa celebrated their Senior Day as Boyd assisted the Rangers' first goal and De Sousa anchored the defense that didn't allow a goal over the final 69 minutes of the contest.
 
"We picked ourselves up and realized we needed to play with some urgency," said Boyd, who notched her 27^th career assist in the first half. "We found away to string some goals together, and even when we scored the second goal we focused on not becoming complacent. We knew it was far from over, so we played tough and with our heads up."
 
The Blue Jays struck first, less than a minute into the contest. Elizabethtown immediately deposited the ball into the circle and a forward possessed it and sent it across. The ball was then maintained cleanly in close to the Drew cage. When Stewart charged out to cut down the angle, the Blue Jay gently rolled one just past her, and into the right side of the cage.
 
Elizabethtown dominated the beginning of the half and had plenty of legitimate scoring opportunities. In the 11^th minute the offense stampeded forward, and Stewart came out again. This time the ball was sent on the ground, in front of the net for a one-time shot. The ball came up high on Stewart who used her pad to push it out of play.
 
By the 20^th minute, the Rangers had shifted the momentum and managed four shots, one of which was a one-timer sent in by Clark. Her shot seemed destined for the cage until a defender sticked it out for a defensive save.
 
In the 23^rd minute, Drew evened the score. Boyd collected a corner on the right side of the net, she then sent a crisp pass to fellow midfielder, De Marco. De Marco then drove a ball hard into the right side of the cage, past the Blue Jay goalie. While the Blue Jays opened the game with seven unanswered shots, the Rangers responded with six of their own. The teams would go into halftime tied at 1-1.
 
In the 50^th minute De Marco executed a long hit from midfield and found Fallon. Fallon collected it and shook two Blue Jay defenders. She worked her way to the left side of the cage and scored her third goal of the season. The Rangers led 2-1 with 20 minutes remaining.
 
Drew scored the insurance goal in the 59^th minute when Fallon flicked a ball to Clark, who then guided it into the cage for her second goal of the season.
 
The Rangers would hang on for a 3-1 victory thanks to incredible team defense. Fallon registered three defensive saves in the victory, while freshman defender Michele Pozyc added one to bring her season total to 15, which still ranks second place in the nation.
 
The game marked the first time Drew won consecutive games this season and both were Landmark Conference victories. Drew will square off against The University of Scranton for a Landmark Conference contest on Monday, Oct. 27 at Ranger Stadium at 7:00 p.m.