WINCHESTER, Va. – The No 19 ranked Shenandoah field hockey team dropped a hard-fought heartbreaker to No 17 University of Lynchburg, 2-1 in overtime. Shenandoah (7-2, 0-1) suffers their first conference loss of the season, while Lynchburg (9-1, 2-0) picked up their second conference win.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Lynchburg had more shots (16) and more shots on goal (11) than Shenandoah did (11 shots with six on the cage.)
Lynchburg was also the benefactor of more penalty corners with 13 for the contest compared to the Hornets' four.
Taylor Swann was standing on her head as the junior made nine saves on the afternoon. The Lynchburg keeper stopped five Hornet shots in the contest.
Farren Winter led all Shenandoah Hornets with three shots with one coming on the cage. Reigning ODAC Player of the Week, Marlou Wendriks, led the way for the Hornets with seven shots, including an assist on the game-winning goal in overtime.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Lynchburg came out to start the game firing on all cylinders, as this was the ODAC matchup of the week of the top two teams. The Hornets quickly pressured SU, causing
Taylor Swann to come up to stop shot after shot just minutes into the game. Shenandoah was able to muster one shot on goal from
Mairead McKibbin, but was turned away by the Hornet netminder. After one period of play, the score was tied at 0.
In the second period, both teams settled down as the ball was mainly played within the midfield, and both teams struggled to formulate any offensive chances. Shenandoah had a scoring opportunity from
Gracie Wilkerson, but that shot would sail just wide of the cage. The Shenandoah defense tightened up as Lynchburg was only able to one shot, which came in the last seconds of the half. Going into the break, we were still deadlocked at 0.
After the half, Shenandoah would take advantage of Lynchburg penalties, and eventually,
Gracie Wilkerson would send a ball into the circle where
Claudia Lenahan would receive it, dribble to her left around the defender, and beat the diving goalie for her fourth goal of the season in the 33
rd minute. However, that lead would be short-lived. Before Shenandoah could get off another shot, it would be Lynchburg going on the offensive. Swann would make a huge save to keep the Hornets up 1-0, but then off of a corner, Lynchburg would finally connect on a goal in the 37
th minute.
In the fourth, Shenandoah held Lynchburg to no shots, but were not able to capitalize on their two opportunities late in the 4
th. 60 minutes would not be enough to decide a winner, so the game would go into overtime.
In the first overtime period, Lynchburg fired two shots at Swann that she was able to turn away, before earning a penalty corner and shot from
Farren Winter. Lynchburg would capitalize in the open field and found themselves on an odd-man rush, Marlour Wendricks would slot a ball to an open Anna Dorrestijn, and was able to put the game-winner in the back of the cage.
UP NEXT
Conference play continues, as Shenandoah will hit the road for a mid-week matchup with Eastern Mennonite on Wednesday. That game is slated to start at 7 p.m.
#GoSUHornets
