GAMBIER, Ohio – Two first-half goals from Hannah Paterakis and Shannon Hart along with some stellar defensive play helped the Kenyon College field hockey team to a 2-1 win against Wittenberg University on Sunday at McBride Field.
 
The victory, Kenyon's fifth in a row, moved the team's record to 14-2 and 11-1 in North Coast Athletic Conference play. Additionally, the win secured at least an NCAC Tournament semifinal match for the Ladies at home on a date to be determined.
 
Prior to Sunday's contest, the careers of Sarah Bauman, Paige Beyer, Zoe Chrissos, Weezie Foster, Shannon Hart, Katelyn Hutchinson, Sophie Letcher, Sarah Speroff and Kelsey Trulik were honored. To date, this senior class is the winningest in program history with a record of 65-15.
 
In the first half on Sunday, both teams had a few shots within the contest's first 14 minutes. Each goalie, Allie Purvis and Speroff, notched two saves before the Ladies broke through at 16:02. After Molly Keen's shot was blocked, Paterakis cleaned up the rebound for her fifth goal of the season.

 
About four minutes later, Wittenberg's Audrey Coler fired but Keen met the ball at the goal line to keep the score at 1-0.
 
Hart then put the Ladies up a pair with less than a minute left in the half. The senior from Zimbabwe corralled a Keen penalty corner and her shot deflected over the Tigers defense into the cage.
 
Down by two, Wittenberg was able to pull within one at the 59th minute. Riley Trexler's pass was deflected to Maddie Goelz and her shot near the left post met the back of the cage.
 
That would be the final shot of the match, however, for the Tigers as the Ladies' defense stifled the visitors in the final 10 minutes. Speroff notched five saves on the day.
 
Kenyon has two regular-season contests left. On October 26, they'll travel to The College of Wooster followed by another road date at Denison University – the NCAC's second-place team and one game behind the Ladies – on October 28.