GAMBIER, Ohio – From the start of Saturday's game at McBride Field, the Kenyon College field hockey team pushed the Ohio Wesleyan University Battling Bishops back on their heels. The Ladies whipped up two quick goals and then tacked on one more second-half goal for a convincing 3-0 win.

It was a significant victory for the Ladies, who improved to 9-5 overall and jumped into the second-place spot in the North Coast Athletic Conference standings with an 8-3 mark. On the other side of things, Ohio Wesleyan fell to 9-6 overall and slid to fourth place with a 6-6 record in NCAC play.

It took the Ladies just 3:43 of game time to score their first goal. Sophomore Gigi Guenther had possession near the top of the Battling Bishops' circle. She ran along the right perimeter, cut inside and fired off a shot that hit inside the left post for her six goal of the season and her third goal in the team's last four games.

About five minutes later, senior Hannah Paterakis and sophomore Molly Keen connected for Kenyon's second goal. Paterakis inserted a penalty corner to the top of the circle, where Keen was standing. Keen stopped the pass and blasted her shot right down the middle and past Ohio Wesleyan goalkeeper Paige Ross. It was her fourth goal of the season.


By the time the Ladies got to the break, they outshot the Battling Bishops 6-1.

The second half was played a little more evenly, up until sophomore Olivia O'Connell rang up the Ladies' third goal. With about 10 minutes left on the clock, O'Connell grabbed a loose ball inside the circle, cut to her right and then beat Ross to the far side for her third goal of the season.

In front of the Kenyon cage, freshman goalkeeper Suzy Deems wasn't tested, but did earn her fifth shutout and watched her goals against average fall to 0.66.

The Ladies jump right back into action tomorrow at noon with a home game against Wittenberg University.