Keuka College senior Kirstin Billings (Hilton, N.Y. / Hilton) recorded her first career hat trick, and in doing so, broke the Keuka College Field Hockey career goals record as the Wolves defeated Elmira College 9-2.
Keuka College (2-12, 2-5 Empire 8) had six other goal scorers join Billings on Wednesday. Tori Nelson (Vernon Center, N.Y. / Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) had a five-point game with a goal and three assists while Anna Dewey (Sidney, N.Y. / Sidney) had three points with a goal and an assist.
Keuka controlled the play early but it was the visitors who struck first. The Soaring Eagles got a small break against the run of play and found the back of the goal for the 1-0 lead. That lead lasted less than a minute. The Wolves drove the ball down. The initial shot by Alexis McGregor (Liverpool, N.Y. / Liverpool) was stopped but Kirstin Billings was there for the rebound to tie the game at 1-1. The Wolves had some late opportunities with corners but were unable to capitalize as the game remained tied after one.
The Wolves took advantage of a corner in the second to take the lead. The ball was played to the top of the circle. It was passed to the left wing to Anna Dewey who found Kirstin Billings in front of goal for the lead. Keuka College extended their lead with Cassidy Scheftic’s (East Syracuse, N.Y. / East Syracuse-Minoa) first career goal followed by Billings completing the hat trick. The game was poised to go to halftime with the Wolves leading 4-1, but Anna Dewey snuck a long shot through in the final minute to give the Wolves a 5-1 lead at the break.
The Green and Gold continued the pressure in the third quarter. Keuka had a game-high 10 shots in the frame. The pressure paid off for Keuka as Brianna Broadwell (Cato, N.Y. / Cato-Meridian) scored for the Wolves midway through the quarter. Elmira’s defense held the final bit of the quarter as the Wolves carried a 6-1 lead into the final quarter.
Keuka College scored fast in the fourth quarter. Alexis Dodge (Verona, N.Y. / Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) started the scoring 37 seconds into the quarter and Tori Nelson followed up with a tally 38 seconds after that. Elmira College pulled one back but Emma Mantione (Baldwinsville, N.Y. / C.W. Baker) capped the scoring with her first of the season as the Wolves defeated the Soaring Eagles 9-2.
