VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Hood College field hockey team got off on the right foot for the 2024 season, picking up a 1-0 win against Virginia Wesleyan in a defensive battle, their first season opener win since 2014.
Inside the Box Score
Emma Massey (Felton, Del./Lake Forest) scored the game's lone goal, starting her Blazer career with a bang.
Richana Brown (Dover, Del./Dover) shut the door on the Marlins, saving all seven shots she faced.
How it Happened
The first quarter was all Hood, as the Blazers' offense put on plenty of pressure to get the first shots of the game.
After some back-and-forth possession, Hood found itself down a player when
Morgan Hackett (Hampstead, Md./Hereford) was shown a green card. The Blazers did not seem to notice, as they developed an offensive drive that ended with Massey tucking a shot in just between the goalie's pad and the post to give Hood its first goal against Virginia Wesleyan since 1998. The Marlins managed to find some offense late in the quarter, but Brown stopped their lone shot on goal.
Virginia Wesleyan really turned up the heat in the second quarter, getting four shots on goal in less than 30 seconds, but Brown made her position look easy, stopping each one to preserve the one-goal lead heading into halftime.
Both squads had offensive outbursts in the third quarter, but the goalies shined once again to keep it a 1-0 game in favor of Hood heading into the final frame.
After Brown made another save on a penalty corner just 33 seconds into the fourth quarter, the Blazers got a chance to double their lead with three shots and three penalty corners in 20 seconds, but Marlins' goalie DJ Holsclaw made the saves to keep the game close.
Hood's defense locked down the rest of the game, not allowing anymore shots on goal while the offense continued to put pressure on the home team to keep them on their toes until the final horn sounded to cement the Blazers' victory.
For the Opponent
Holsclaw made seven saves on eight shots faced.
Analysis
Hood outshot Virginia Wesleyan 13-11.
The Blazers had 12 penalty corners compared to just six for the Marlins.
Up Next
Hood has its home opener against McDaniel College Wednesday, September 4 at 4 p.m.
