HOUGHTON, NY – Four goals from four different players propelled the Houghton Highlanders to their 13^th win of the season—the most for the program since 2003—a 4-1 victory over the Keuka Wolves, and into the Empire 8 conference tournament semifinals for the first time in program history.
 
Sarah Retz put the Highlanders on the board in the seventh minute of play.  A corner insert, followed by several skillful passes, until the Highlanders put the ball on the stick of Elzandie Du Plessis, who drew a crowd of defenders in front of the cage.  Du Plessis slid a pass to Retz, who took a touch and slotted home the first goal of the game.
 
Ten minutes later, the Highlanders executed another perfect corner, as Katherine Manley drove a pass from the right side across the goal mouth to Cedar Smith, who knocked the ball into the top of the cage to give the Highlanders a 2-0 lead.
 
Jace Hunzinger would add a third Houghton goal just four minutes before the half, and the Highlanders took a 3-0 lead into the break.
 
While Keuka would pull within two after a goal from Erin Patterson nearly 10 minutes into the second half, Houghton would eventually regain their three-goal lead in the 51^st minute, this time on a restart initiated by Du Plessis, who dribbled to the top of the circle and slotted a hard pass in front of the cage to Peyton Bentley, who deflected a pass to a wide open Ashlee Beck on the left post.  Beck promptly deposited her third goal of the season, capping the win for the Highlanders.
 
GAME VITALS
Score: #3 Houghton – 4 | #6 Keuka – 1
Records: #3 Houghton: 13-5 | #6 Keuka: 6-13
Venue: Burke Field, Houghton University | Attendance: 150

SCORING SUMMARY

Time	Team	Description
6:57		Sarah Retz (3) Assisted By: Elzandie Du Plessis
17:03		Cedar Smith (5) Assisted By: Katherine Manley
26:00		Jace Hunzinger (7)
38:58		Erin Patterson Assisted By: Kirstin Billings
50:01		Ashlee Beck (3) Assisted By: Peyton Bentley

NOTABLE STATS
>> The win is Houghton's first post-season victory since joining the Empire 8.  Technically, despite a long and storied field hockey tradition at Houghton, because the NAIA and NCCAA have not sponsored field hockey post-season championships, the win is the first post-season victory in Highlander history.
 
>> The Highlanders have now scored 66 goals this season, continuing to build on the record they established in the final regular-season finale for most team goals in a season.
 
>> Houghton outshot Keuka, 25-5, and maintained a 10-2 advantage on corners.
 
UP NEXT
The Highlanders travel to Rochester on Friday for a rematch with the #2 seeded St. John Fisher Cardinals.  Fisher defeated the Highlanders 3-1, in Rochester, earlier this season.