ASHLAND, Va. – The #12 Shenandoah University field hockey team picked up another conference win to remain on top of the ODAC field hockey table after a 4-0 win over Randolph-Macon on Saturday evening. The Hornets (14-2, 6-0) got four second-half goals from three Hornets to beat the Yellow Jackets on the road. The Hornet goal scorers were
Elizabeth Ranberger (8) from
Claudia Lenahan,
Farren Winter (12,13), with an assist from Lenahan, and
Madison Short (5) from Ranberger. Shenandoah dominated possession again, firing 30 shots with 16 shots on target while only giving up two shots. The Hornets also dominated in penalty corners as Shenandoah had the edge 18-5.
Taylor Swann started in the cage and picked up her fifth shutout of the season and 17
th shutout of her career. Swann had a relative stress-free game, as both shots from Randolph-Macon did not find their way to the cage.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Hornets started quickly again as Shenandoah picked up their first corner of the game within the first minute of play, and
Madison Short fired the first shot the Macon keeper made her first save of the game. The ball bounced around the midfield for a few minutes, before
Claudia Lenahan and
Mairead McKibbin each fired shots, but could not cash in. Macon got their first corner late in the first quarter, but could not get a shot off. The game remained scoreless as the period ended.
Cassidy Morrison started the second with a shot that beat the keeper, but a Macon defender was on the back line to keep the ball out of the back of the cage, and the game was scoreless. Four minutes later,
Kaitlyn Nakamura fired the next shot, again beating the goalie, but for the second play in a row, a Macon defender was on the backline to keep the ball off the backline. McKibbin tried again, but her shot was denied. The Hornets kept the pressure up as Morrison,
Camryn DeLeva, Short, and Lenahan all had blocked shots. The Hornets were then assessed a yellow card, but that did not stop them from being a player down. Nakamura and
Mackenzie Watkins each had opportunities but could not score. DeLeva earned a penalty shot, but the shot went wide right before halftime.
On the first offensive play of the second half, the Hornets earned a penalty corner.
Farren Winter blasted a shot that was blocked before Short's shot was saved to keep the game scoreless. After McKibbins' shot, the Hornets earned a corner.
Madison Short inserted the ball and
Claudia Lenahan fired a shot to the far post, where
Elizabeth Ranberger was open and scored the first goal for the Hornets. Looking to add to their lead, Nakamura fired a shot which was saved before the Hornets earned back-to-back corners. Lenahan and McKibbin had their shots blocked while the Hornets had two more corners. In the 42
nd minute, off another corner, Short inserted the ball to the top of the circle and
Farren Winter. Winter dribbled to her right and then blasted a shot from the wing to give Shenandoah a 2-0 lead.
Trying to get back into the game, Macon earned back-to-back corners before picking up their first shot in the 49
th minute. After the Hornets were assessed another green card, and even though they were a player down, they earned a corner and cashed in on the penalty kill. DeLeva took the initial shot before Ranberger tipped it along to Short, who found the back of the cage to make it 3-0.
Farren Winter added one more insurance goal late in the fourth quarter with the Hornets scoring another goal off of a corner. Lenahan passed the ball to Winter who rocketed a shot from the top of the circle for her second of the game. Macon picked up their only other shot of the game, but that too sailed wide, and the Hornets were able to run out the clock and leave Ashland with a 4-0 victory.
UP NEXT
The Hornets head to their penultimate game of the regular season, as Wednesday against Bridgewater will be the final home, regular season game. The game is scheduled to start at 6 pm, and it will be a SWARM game presented by the R.E.D. Team.
#GoSUHornets
