FREDERICK, Md. – After a warm welcome back and a treacherous first half, the field hockey team capitalized on their opening in the second half to hold off the Marlins 1-0 in their season opener at home on Saturday afternoon.
Inside the Box Score
Ellie Dainton (Mays Landing, NJ./Saint Joseph Academy) posted her first career goal in the second half.
Grace Guy (Mechanicsburg, Md./Chopticon) made a career-high eight saves on the day
Abby Chiavetta (San Jose, Calif./Leland) had two shots on goal.
How it Happened
Hood had the first crack at the Virginia Wesleyan goalie when their first penalty corner gave them two point blank shots in traffic but Hosclaw stayed stout and terminated the threat.
Then it was the Marlins turn to attack but time for the Blazers to flex their defensive muscles. The defensive effort in close quarters to the goal kept the first 11 shots in the half out of reach.
A penalty corner put Dainton in a position to attack before passing to Chiavetta and she would have seemed to score but Dainton was interfered with before the shot went off offering her a penalty stroke opportunity instead.
Not to worry, Dainton casted her penalty shot past the goaltender and made sure the Blazers did not leave empty handed.
With 40 seconds left, the Marlins made their final push with a pass that dribbled all the way from near their own goal into the attacking zone. The Marlin attacker made a spin and got an opening to shoot but Guy stepped up and dove forward deflecting the shot and it skied just over the net.
With a scramble to restart play, that was the closest that the visitors would get from spoiler in the witching hour.
Notes
Virginia Wesleyan outshot Hood 20-11.
The teams were about even in the penalty corner game, with the Marlins having an 8-7 edge.
Up Next
The squad will suit up against in-state rival McDaniel at Thomas Athletic Field on Tuesday, September 2 with first touch set for 6 p.m..
