Box Score

Ewing, NJ… Senior Ashleigh Pecherski (Middletown, NJ/Middletown) scored all three goals as The College of New Jersey field hockey team won an early-season match-up of unbeaten teams as the Lions defeated visiting Eastern University 3-0 on Thursday.

The win puts fifth-ranked TCNJ at 3-0 on the season, while the Eagles slipped to 2-1.

Pecherski scored her first goal 3:01 into the contest redirecting a feed from Jackie Gelinas (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central) to make it 1-0.

Pecherski had a golden chance to double TCNJ's advantage, but Eastern goalie Kelly Garland (Lanhartsville, PA/Kutztown) stopped the Lion on a penalty stroke as it remained a one-goal game into halftime.

In the second half, Pecherski netted two goals in a span of 1:43 as she made it 2-0 with an unassisted goal with 10:36 remaining. She then completed the hat trick knocking in a perfect centering pass from junior Jenny Lubin (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) for her fourth goal of the season.

In goal for the Lions, Caitlin Gregory (Winslow, NJ/Eastern) won her third straight decision, second via shutout, making a pair of saves, while Garland finished with nine.

The Lions will face a tough early-season test in their next game as they host second-ranked Messiah College on Saturday, September 15 in a 1 p.m. start at Lions' Stadium.