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RICHMOND, Ind. - Twenty-six and a half hours later, DePauw's field hockey team left Earlham College with a win.
After two lightning delays totaling close to two hours and a postponement Wednesday evening, the teams played the last 31 minutes and 18 seconds Thursday afternoon.
The Tigers (15-1, 12-0 NCAC) led 2-0 after day one, totaling 22 shots to the Quakers' (0-14, 0-12 NCAC) zero. On day two, DePauw closed out the match piling on 10 more shots and connecting three times for a 5-0 result.
With the win, the Tigers clinched the NCAC's regular-season title.
Senior forward Margaret Ellis scored one goal Wednesday to bring her career total to 70, just one behind all-time DePauw goal leader, Colleen Konicek '88. Ellis totaled nine shots, seven of which were blocked by the goalkeeper. Her 70th goal came on a high-arcing lob shot from the top of the scoring circle in the 27th minute. The ball soared over the entire Earlham defense and goalkeeper Emma Treece for the Tigers' first score of the game.
Treece tallied 16 saves after the first day and kept the Quakers within reach after one half.
At halftime, the referees called for a 30-minute lightning delay - the first of the day. After the delay, senior Bridgette Shamleffer connected three minutes in off a pass deep within the scoring circle by sophomore Maggie Campbell.
Immediately after, officials spotted lightning again and the teams left the field once more.
Rain began pounding Darrell Beane Stadium as bedlam ensued. High winds coupled with the rain as the lightning didn't cease. The game was then postponed till 5 p.m. Thursday.
Head coach Gina Wills was proud of her team for staying positive about the situation.
"We talked in our many breaks about moving the goalkeeper and going around rather than taking direct shots, because when we were taking direct shots, she was making really good saves," Wills said after the game. "It was more finesse than power that did it for us."
DePauw wasted no time in taking what they discussed off the field at the restart Thursday afternoon. Sophomore forward Paige Henry won the ball immediately and tore up field, weaving between Earlham midfielders. In the scoring circle, she found Shamleffer on the left side, and the senior poked home the Tigers' third goal of the game just 18 seconds in from the restart.
Treece again performed admirably, blocking shots from Ellis and other DePauw forwards, notching seven more saves on day two.
Sophomore Kate Jovanovic connected in the 56th minute from an entry pass by freshman Grace Goodbarn. One minute later, junior Micheline Figel rattled the cage unassisted to push the Tigers' lead, 5-0.
Next, DePauw will face Denison University (12-4, 8-3 NCAC) on Saturday at Blackstock West Field. The two-day game didn't disrupt the team's preparation much, Wills said.
"We worked on some things today that we think will help us on Saturday, like going around the goalkeeper to score, because (Denison's) Brittany (Benson) is a good goalkeeper as well," Wills said.