Strenk's Three Goals Lead Rochester Past SUNY Oswego, 4-1

PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – Amanda Strenk notched her second career hat-trick in less than seven minutes as the University of Rochester bounced back to defeat SUNY Oswego, 4-1, in a field hockey match at Edwin Fauver Stadium on Wednesday.
 
Strenk scored three times in the second period –

two off penalty corners – and Juney Lee added the final goal in the last minute of play. Lee assisted on one of Strenk's goals. Mara Heppard set up the second goal. Susan Bansbach had the assist on the Lee tally. Strenk's initial career hat trick came in her first year, against SUNY Brockport.
 
Rochester improved to 4-1. Oswego came into the Stadium with a perfect 4-0 record. The Lakers hadn't conceded a goal in their four victories. Oswego outscored its first four foes by a count of 30-0.
 
The guests took a 1-0 lead after 69 seconds. Oswego was awarded a penalty corner. It was played to the top of the circle, then slid over to left wing as the Yellowjacket defense shifted a bit. Jenna Rogers fired towards the goalmouth. It deflected off a Yellowjacket defender and fell at the low right post. Alyssa DeMichael was there to touch it into the lower right corner at 1:09.
 
Rochester parried with the Lakers, then began to apply pressure offensively. Leona Fisher shot just past the left post from the top of the circle with six minutes left in the period. Then Strenk did the same thing. In the final minute, Oswego goalkeeper Erica Scheblein tipped the ball away from Strenk deep in the circle. Scheblein finished with five saves.
 
 Abigail Walrond made nine stops for Rochester. She was active and aggressive throughout. Three minutes into the second period, she dove out to smother both the ball and Elie Kazel of Oswego who was positioning herself for shooting space. UR dominated for a stretch after that which produced three goals.
 
Lee's penalty corner insertion went to Strenk at the top of the circle with three minutes elapsed. She whipped the ball through a tangle of bodies and it cracked against the wood to tie the score. Five minutes later, the Yellowjackets earned another PC (they had seven in the quarter and 13 for the match. Heppard was the inserter this tie. Same plan, same result: she found Strenk at the top of the circle and the crackling shot put Rochester ahead, 2-1.

Strenk scored three times in less than seven minutes.

 
The most entertaining goal of the trio was the third. Rochester defended against an Oswego attack. The ball was pushed out to the right defensive wing. Alex Pritchard sent a 35 yard pass down the right sideline. Strenk collected it five yards over midfield. She raced down the right sideline before veering left and charging straight at goal. The shot completed the natural hat trick.
 
Oswego pressed. Walrond came out to dive and block Kacie Simzer from in close with four minutes left. Then UR's Elisabeth Sidorski made a defensive save after a PC shot. The Lakers earned a couple of PCs and finally were awarded a penalty stroke when Rochester touched the ball. The shooter was Kaitlyn Mastracco. She tried to lift it just inside the left post, but it curled away, wide.
 
Rochester's defense kept making plays to keep the guests from good scoring chances. In one sequence in the fourth, Delainey Hebble dashed to the endline during a PC to poke the ball over the sideline before a pass could be made. Later in the same sequence, she got to a semi-free ball and lined it out of the defensive third.
 
Lee was rewarded for her efforts in the final minute of play. The Yellowjackets pressed forward into the Oswego end. As the ball swung around, it came to Susan Bansbach who pushed it to Lee. Her shot through a packed circle slammed into the wood.