Saturday, Sept. 23, the Elizabethtown College’s women’s field hockey team took to the field against Drew University and claimed a shutout victory in the Landmark Conference opening.
The first conference game of the season looked like it was going to be tough with a weakened offense, but Etown played to the strengths of the team and kept the ball on the opposite side of the field for most of the game. The Jays took home a five point lead while stopping Drew from getting a shot in.
This season has presented challenges for Etown in its first few weeks. With a current 4-4 record, it was anybody’s game this Saturday. Predictions for how this first Landmark game would go were up in the air until Etown hit the field that day.
The team had a strong start when senior Emma Christman rolled in the first goal. A little more than 15 minutes into the game, Christman singled in on a left post shot made by first-year Brooke Zehr and pocketed it into the goal.
Shortly after, sophomore Olivia Beachley made a goal on the rebound. After a failed penalty shot by Etown, the ball was picked up by graduate student Charity Good. Good made a shot on goal that was saved by the Ranger’s goalie Ryann Callaghan, but Beachley came in on the rebound to make the second goal at 21 minutes.
Beachley made a second goal in the game which called to light her skills as a player. Last year, she made waves as a first-year by playing every season game, mostly as a midfielder. She has a 10/11 average for shots on goal made.
Continuing in the game, Etown scored two more goals in the first half. Six minutes after Beachley’s goal, graduate student Addie Stang made the third goal on the corner with an assist by Christman and a redirected ball.
The fourth goal was made shortly before the end of the first half by senior Allie Patterson. With an assist by first-year Emily Garvin, Patterson was able to grab the ball by crossing over and tapping it in.
The offense backed off in the second half while the defense kept the ball out of the goalie net. It wasn’t until the end of the game when Etown made the fifth and final goal. New strength gave an advantage to Patterson and Beachley in a skillful goal. Patterson shot from the corner and Beachley tapped it in four seconds before the end of the game.
The victory in this game was the result of cooperation of defense and offense. Offense got to exercise a quick burst in the first half and fall back to regain energy in the second half thanks to the dedication of the defense.
Etown’s next game is an away game Saturday, Sept. 30 against Scranton University at 12 p.m.
