Sophomore forward Emma Wright posted her first collegiate hat trick to lead the Ohio Wesleyan field hockey team to a 5-0 North Coast Athletic Conference win over Transylvania on Wednesday at Selby Stadium.
The win moved Ohio Wesleyan’s record to 10-0, including a 4-0 start in NCAC play, and was the Bishops’ seventh consecutive shutout.
Ohio Wesleyan fired 15 shots and earned 5 penalty corners during the first quarter, but the Pioneer defense held the Bishops off the scoreboard.
The Bishops broke the scoreless deadlock during the second period. After a Pioneer foul, junior midfielder Zoë Nelson dribbled the ball toward the center of the field and wound up from the top of the circle, putting a shot inside the left post with 10:35 remaining.
Ohio Wesleyan broke the game open during the third quarter. Sophomore forward Olivia Danley had a shot stopped by Transylvania keeper Libby Bringard, but the rebound went to Wright, and Wright scored on the putback exactly a minute into the period.
Wright followed with a goal at the 40:45 mark, fielding a centering pass from freshman forward Mattison Hyland and putting a shot into the back of the cage.
A foul on the Pioneers set the Bishops up with a penalty corner after time had expired. On the corner attempt, Ohio Wesleyan was awarded a penalty stroke, and senior forward Allie Crawford converted the shot to make it 4-0. The Bishops’ 3 goals during the third quarter tied the school record accomplished 4 times previously.
Wright completed the hat trick with 5:27 left in regulation time, picking up a loose ball and scoring. After going nearly 5 years without a hat trick, the Bishops have accomplished that feat in back-to-back games after Danley’s trifecta on Saturday.
Ohio Wesleyan outshot Transylvania, 47-0. Junior Meg McCarthy, junior Brynn Schlesinger and freshman Payton Mindel combined on the shutout.
OWU Sports Information contributed to this report.
