GREENWOOD, S.C. (Nov. 2) – Senior
Annefleur Moerkerken delivered a two-goal performance in the regular season finale, as the Trojans recorded a 2-0 victory at Lander on Saturday afternoon in South Atlantic Conference action.
With the win, the University of Mount Olive field hockey program improves to 9-7 overall behind an 8-6 mark in league play. The Trojans will enter the conference tournament as the No. 5 seed and will rematch against No. 4 seeded Lander in the quarterfinals on Monday, Nov. 4, at 7:30 p.m. Meanwhile, Lander drops to 10-7 this season with a 9-5 record in conference action.
The Trojans quickly established a 1-0 advantage at the 1:45 mark as Moerkerken scored from the top of the circle off a penalty corner with sophomore
Jemimah Kriechelberg recording the assist. Mount Olive finished the opening quarter with a 5-3 edge in shots while boasting a 2-1 lead in penalty corners. In the second, UMO tallied four penalty corners and a trio of shots in three-plus minutes. The Bearcats answered with three shots on goal, as graduate student goalie
Alanna Barrett collected three stops.
UMO performed in the third quarter after out-shooting the opponent by a 10-1 margin. The Trojans total seven shots on goal and four penalty corners in search of an insurance goal. As the sides traded possession in the fourth, the Trojans were awarded a penalty stroke at the 56:04 mark. Moerkerken slotted the shot into the bottom-left corner of the cage for her team-leading ninth goal of the year, 2-0.
Barrett earned her third shutout of the season after recording five saves in 60 minutes of action.
The Trojans finished with a 22-7 shot advantage and a 10-3 edge in penalty corners.
Mount Olive enters postseason play on Monday, Nov. 4, when it will face Lander in the quarterfinals of the league tournament at 7:30 p.m.
