University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware Field Hockey Falls to Wake Forest 7-1; Blue Hens Open Conference Play this Week
9/25/2011 9:52:00 PM | Field Hockey
NEWARK, Del. -- Wake Forest jumped out to a 3-0 lead at the half and put the game away with consecutive goals two minutes apart early in the second half in downing host University of Delaware 7-1 in non-conference field hockey action Sunday afternoon at Rullo Stadium.
The game was the Hens' final action before opening Colonial Athletic Association action this week. Delaware will host William & Mary on Friday night and then entertain No. 1 ranked Old Dominion on Sunday afternoon.
Wake Forest's Emily Cummings, who entered the game without a goal this season, tallied a hat trick and Lizzie Rae contributed a goal and three assists to pace the Demon Deacons (2-7), who snapped a five-game losing streak.
Delaware (5-5), which rallied from a four-goal deficit by scoring five goals in just under eight minutes in a wild 5-4 win over Saint Joseph's on Saturday, could not find that magic for the second straight day and suffered the loss.
Delaware sophomore Kasey Prettyman (at right) scored the Hens' lone goal as she took a feed from freshman Kelsey McKee and tipped the ball into the cage past Wake netminder Katilyn Ruhf with 25:37 left to play to cut the lead to 5-1. The goal was Prettyman's third of the season while McKee notched a point for the fourth straight game.
Wake Forest took advantage of almost every opportunity on the day as it outshot Delaware by a slim 17-13 margin while the Blue Hens held a 9-5 advantage in penalty corners. Ruhf posted seven saves while Delaware starter Noelle Diana stopped three shots and backup Sarah Scher turned away two Wake Forest attempts.
Christine Conroe, Adelaide Knott, and Kari Walkley also scored goals for Wake Forest with Cristen Atchison and Faith Adams adding assists.
Among Wake Forest's seven losses this season have been setbacks to current Top 15 powers North Carolina, Maryland, Iowa, Duke, Syracuse, and Michigan.
