LYNCHBURG, Va. – Shenandoah University field hockey traveled to the University of Lynchburg for the ODAC Championship game Saturday afternoon. Lynchburg would take the victory 2-1, to secure their 22
nd ODAC Championship and receive the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
From the opening whistle, Shenandoah started to apply pressure on the Lynchburg defense but could not get any shots off for their efforts. But as the first quarter continued, the momentum shifted, and it would be Lynchburg on the attacking side. Lynchburg would earn five penalty corners and fire four shots toward
Taylor Swann and the cage, before getting the game's first goal with 40 seconds left in the period.
In the second quarter, Shenandoah was on their heels as Lynchburg would continue to be awarded penalty corners, four more in the stanza, but Swann was up for the challenge stopping the five shots she faced. The Hornets' best scoring opportunity came late in the second quarter when a turnover in the midfield started an odd-man rush for Shenandoah.
Mairead McKibbin stole the ball and found a streaking
Elizabeth Ranberger on the right. It would appear that Ranberger had a clear path to the goal, but the Lynchburg defender just got in front of the senior, and the shot went wide right of the cage.
Three minutes into the second half, Lynchburg would be on the attack again. The Hornets would fire a shot that would hit the post, but the rebound would find the stick of another Lynchburg player who put the rebound in the back of the cage and gave Lynchburg a 2-0 lead.
With their backs against the wall, Shenandoah needed shots on goal and needed them quickly. After
Farren Winter would receive a two-minute green card, and the Hornets were shorthanded, Shenandoah would start to mount the comeback.
Madison Short would fire a shot on goal, that the Lynchburg goalie saved, but the rebound would find the stick of
Cassidy Morrison who buried the ball in the back of the cage to cut the lead in half. Shenandoah fought until the final whistle, but the comeback would fall short and Lynchburg won the game.
Now, Shenandoah will have to wait and see if their resume is enough to impress the NCAA committee to receive one of the coveted Pool C Bids. The Hornets only have three losses on the season, two to Lynchburg and one to Johns Hopkins. Hopkins and Lynchburg have both been ranked nationally all season long so hopefully that is enough to make the tournament. The selection show is slated to happen late Sunday evening.
For their efforts in the semifinals and championship games
Mairead McKibbin,
Camryn DeLeva, and
Elise Velasquez were named to the ODAC All-Tournament Team.
#GoSUHornets
