HOUGHTON, NY— In their final regular season game on Burke field the Houghton College field hockey team (8-7, 3-4 Empire 8) honored seniors Kristin McKane (Clayville, NY, Mount Markham) and Leah Shadbolt (Kanata, Ontario, West Carleton Secondary School), then saw both women score goals to help defeat the Elmira College Soaring Eagles (4-11, 1-6 Empire 8), 3-1 in Saturday's conference matchup.
 
The Highlanders opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Kelsie Ashley's (Landisville, PA, Hempfield HS) shot deflected off an opponent's stick to Shadbolt, who quickly deposited her first goal of the season into the back of the cage.
 
Fifteen minutes later the Soaring Eagles would answer back.  Houghton goalkeeper Elizabeth Piszker (Glens Mills, PA, Cardinal O'Hara) made an initial save with her feet on Atu Machika's shot, but the ball deflected to Alison Mariano, who evened the score at one for Elmira.
 
With only a 1:30 remaining before the conclusion of the half the Highlanders were awarded a penalty shot.  Ashley Hughes (Fairport, NY, Fairport High School) ripped a low hard shot into the left side of the cage, giving Houghton the eventual game-winning goal.
 
The Highlanders would add some insurance in the 59^th minute when a long shot off a corner was initially deflected to Marissa Hollinger (Lancaster, PA, Manheim Township) by a Soaring Eagle defender.  Hollinger redirected the ball to McKane, who made a diving effort to deflect the ball past the keeper and into the cage.
 
Piszker would finish with the game with four saves for the Highlanders, while Elmira keepers Mikayla Rebusmen and Julie Hockenberger collected three and four, respectively.
 
Houghton next travels to the University of Rochester (#4 in Northeast Region) on Wednesday, October 28 to take on the Yellowjackets in non-conference action at 7:00 p.m.