Box Score
HOBOKEN, N.J. (September 29, 2012) – Junior back Megan Traub (Berkeley Heights, N.J.) scored twice, including the game-winner with less than two minutes left in regulation, to help lift the Stevens Institute of Technology field hockey team to a 4-3 win over Nazareth College Saturday at the De Baun Athletic Complex in Hoboken, N.J. With the win, Stevens improves to 4-0 in the Empire 8 and 7-4 overall.
 
After a slow start that saw both teams struggle to get their footing, the Ducks started to control the field, generating several strong scoring chances. The Ducks broke through in the 24th minute on a penalty corner when senior forward Mary Nikish (Pittsford, N.Y.) inserted to Traub at the top-right of the circle who touched once and tucked a perfect shot inside the lower-left corner of the cage. It was her fourth of the season and Nikish's team-best 10th assist.
 
After getting denied its second goal when Golden Flyer goalie Shannon Winney (Akron, N.Y.) made an incredible diving stick save on missile off the stick of junior back Grace Ridge (Moorestown, N.J.), Stevens rang the bell with a pretty score at 27:46 of the first. Freshman midfielder Dailyn Brook (Cherry Hill, N.J.) angled in toward the circle from the left side and found junior forward Marguerite Chavez (Oceanport, N.J.) with a touch pass. Chavez then delivered her shot into the left corner for her team-high 11th-goal of the season.
 
The Ducks ended the first with a 12-4 margin in shots and a 9-2 edge in corners.
 
During the opening moments of the second stanza, the Ducks continued to dominate, making it a three-goal game at 47:16 when freshman Samantha Shiner (Exter, Pa.) notched her first career marker. Brook controlled along the right side of the circle and fought her way towards the goal, eventually feeding Shiner who was able to find the back of the cage.
 
Facing a 3-0 hole, the Golden Flyers (1-8 overall, 0-4 Empire 8) came back to tie things at three-all behind a trio of tallies over a span of just 10:56. The first came from senior Kailee O'Hara (Camden, N.Y.) who knocked in a crossing pass off the stick of junior Haley Potter (Moravia, N.Y.). Junior Alexis Root (Marathon, N.Y.) scored from the top of the circle 8:24 later to make it a one-goal game and 2:32 after that score, O'Hara tied things with six minutes to play.
 
After a timeout, the Ducks regained their composure and netted the game-winner with just 1:56 left. Traub received a pass from Nikish off a corner and then drove a shot in front that eluded Winney and found its way into the back of the net. It was Traub's fifth goal of the year and first game-winner.
 
Stevens ended with a 23-10 margin in shots and a 19-9 advantage in corners. Two of the Ducks' four goals came on penalty corners with Nikish tallying a pair of helpers. Nikish has assists in eight games this season and now has registered two in three different contests. Chavez has goals in six-straight outings for Stevens. Winney made 13 saves for Naz, while McClymont stopped four shots for Stevens.
 
The Ducks have a half-game lead over Hartwick College in the conference standings (3-1) and are two games ahead of Houghton College, Washington and Jefferson College, Ithaca College and St. John Fisher College who are all 2-2.
 
Stevens will return to action on Wednesday night when it hosts Montclair State University in a non-conference contest. The Ducks return to conference action with a pair of E8 road contests October 6 & 7 at Elmira College and St. John Fisher College. Wednesday's game in Hoboken, N.J. can be seen live at www.Empire8.tv.