Junior Rachel Chavez

No. 1 TCNJ Downs Field Hockey 5-3 in Season-Opener

Freshman Brook scores first two of career in opener

8/31/2012 10:06:00 PM

By: Rob Kulish
Box Score HOBOKEN, N.J. (August 31, 2012) – Despite two tallies from freshman midfielder Dailyn Brook (Cherry Hill, N.J.), the Stevens Institute of Technology field hockey team fell to top-ranked and defending national champ The College of New Jersey, 5-3, Friday night at the De Baun Athletic Complex. Junior forward Rachel Chavez (Oceanport, N.J.) scored the other Stevens goal, but four markers from Lion senior Jillian Nealon (Whitehouse Station, N.J.) proved too much to overcome for Stevens (0-1).
 
The run of play was back-and-forth over the first 25-plus minutes of game time with each team creating several very strong scoring chances. Senior goalkeeper Kaitlin McClymont (Corpus Christi) was able to deny the Lions with a sprawling save, and TCNJ (1-0) goalie Amanda Krause (Richboro, Pa.) was able to turn away a Stevens penalty stroke moments later.
 
The failed stroke did not deter Stevens in the early going, as the Ducks jumped on the board 27:40 into the action after a penalty corner. Senior forward Mary Nikish (Pittsford, N.Y.) inserted to junior back Megan Traub (Berkeley Heights, N.J.). Traub took a shot that was deflected, Nikish controlled and passed to Brook who lifted a shot over Krause for the score and a 1-0 lead.
 
The advantage was short lived as the Lions erupted for three-straight goals over the last 6:04 of the opening period to take a 3-1 lead into the locker room. The last came on a blast from senior Jillian Nealon (Whitehouse Station, N.J.) with the clock showing zeros.
 
The Lions extended their lead to 4-1 on Nealon's third goal of the game with Brook getting her second 10:06 into the second half, a deflection of a Traub blast after a corner.
 
Nealon tallied her fourth of the contest in the 51st minute, with Chavez closing the scoring at 67:41. The junior forward was able to take a pass, maintain control of the ball and hold off her defender before slipping a pretty shot inside the near post.
 
TCNJ ended with a 21-11 margin in shots, and the Ducks had a 9-8 margin in penalty corners. McClymont made nine stops in the loss with Krause netting three saves for TCNJ.
 
Stevens will return to action on Saturday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. when it hosts Manhattanville College. The Valiants fell by a 1-0 final to Juniata College in the second game at De Baun on Friday night. Goalie Amy Hilton (Pittsburgh, Pa.) made 18 saves to keep Manhattanville close. All of Saturday's action can be seen live at www.Empire8.tv. 
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