October 27, 2005
WC Thwarts Garnet, Stays in Playoff Race
Ruppert Scores Game-Winner in 2-1 Win

SWARTHMORE, PA -- Junior midfielder Melanie Ruppert (Severna Park, MD/Severna Park) scored what would prove to be the game-winning goal in the second half as the Washington College field hockey team kept its Centennial Conference Playoff hopes alive with a 2-1 win at Swarthmore this afternoon.

Swarthmore (8-8, 4-5 CC) grabbed a quick 1-0 lead just 3:31 into the game when Heidi Feiselmann rocketed in a goal off an assist from Abbie Fischer. The score remained 1-0 until early in the second half when Washington sophomore attack Rachel Miller (Greene, NY/Greene Central) tallied her team-leading sixth goal of the season to knot the score at 1-1 with 29:09 left in the game. Ruppert's game-winner, which was also the first goal of her collegiate career, came with 17:32 to play.

Washington freshman goalkeeper Elizabeth Hoff (Silver Spring, MD/J.H. Blake) made her first career start and made three saves in the win. Karen Lorang made 11 stops for the Garnet.

The Shorewomen (6-10, 5-4 CC) held an 18-9 advantage in shots and an 11-4 edge in penalty corners in the game.

The Shorewomen's regular season finale is slated for Saturday on the road at Muhlenberg at 1:00 p.m. Washington can clinch a playoff spot with a) a Franklin & Marshall loss to Swarthmore or b) a Washington win over Muhlenberg and a loss by Johns Hopkins to Ursinus.

BOX SCORE