Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

Boxscore

NEWARK, Del. - The University of Delaware field hockey team continued its hot streak and proved they can win a low-scoring battle, as the squad followed up its record-setting victory against Brown with a grind-it-out 2-1 win over Rutgers on Friday afternoon at Rullo Stadium.

Delaware (2-2) opened the scoring halfway through the first half when Casey Howard took a long feed from Rae Everson at the top of the half-circle, dribbled between a defender and goalkeeper, and snuck the ball into the bottom left corner of the cage.

Howard’s goal, her eighth of the year, continued her torrid start to the season in which she has scored in every game so far, including a school-record five-goal outburst last week against Brown. Howard is now the first Delaware player to post a goal in four consecutive games since Amanda Warrington scored in five straight from September 22 - October 3, 2004.

Delaware nearly doubled its lead with five minutes left in the first when a Kimmy Schlezes shot snuck past Rutgers keeper Vickie Lavell, only to be denied by the post. Delaware kept constant pressure on the Scarlet Knights throughout the game, ending with eight shots on goal.

Fifteen minutes into the second half, Delaware did strike again as Amanda McCardell corralled a bouncing ball five yards outside the mouth of the goal and put it past Lavell to open up the lead.

The early advantage proved to be enough as the Hens got an outstanding effort in goal from Noelle Diana (at right), who notched her best game in the cage to date. Diana ended the contest with four saves, including an impressive stretch late in the first half with back-to-back denials on open Rutgers shooters at close range. During the onslaught, she sprawled to snuff out Brittany Bybel’s attempt and kicked aside a deflected shot off the stick of Kat Rodziewicz to keep Rutgers off the board.

Rutgers (0-5) had its share of opportunities but failed to break through against the staunch Delaware defense in the first half. The Scarlet Knights managed to get on the board with 11 minutes left in the second half on Jessika Hoh’s outstanding individual effort, weaving between defenders and the keeper to put one in the cage. In the end, however, it proved to be too little, too late as the Hens held on to their early edge.

Rutgers had one last chance to tie up the score with a penalty corner in the last minute, but Michelle Drummonds swept aside a Jenna Bull shot right near the cage as the clock ran out. Drummonds’ defensive save was her second in as many games.

The Blue Hens will be back in action tomorrow when they travel to Saint Joseph’s at 2 p.m.