WINCHESTER, Va. – The #16
th ranked Shenandoah University Hornets field hockey was back in action at home after falling to Washington College (MD) 2-1 in overtime on Wednesday evening. Looking to get back into the win column, the Hornets welcomed the University of Mary Washington Eagles to Aikens Stadium. The Hornets (3-2) got back into the win column with a 4-0 blowout over the Eagles. This victory for the Hornets was the fifth straight over Mary Washington after Shenandoah won 1-0 last season.
Taylor Swann got the start in net and her first shutout of the season. The Hornets outshot the Eagles 12-3, and had the edge in penalty corners, while Swann made two saves in the contest.
HOW IT HAPPENED
In the first quarter, both teams battled back and forth throughout the midfield before the Eagles were the first to have any offensive scoring opportunity, with the first corner of the game not producing any shots, and the Hornets eliminated the threat. On the Hornets' first corner of the game,
Madison Short sent a ball to
Camryn DeLeva, who riffled a shot that was blocked and the game remained scoreless halfway through the first. As the battle of the midfield continued, DeLeva fired another shot off of a corner, this time sailing wide. Mary Washington was not able to produce anymore scoring chances as the game went to the second.
In the second,
Taylor Swann made her first save of the game a minute into the period. As momentum started to shift, the Eagles got another shot off two minutes later, but the shot was not on target and the ball went wide. On the Hornets' following offensive possession, Shenandoah earned a corner.
Madison Short inserted the ball and
Farren Winter buried it in the back of the cage, her first of the season to give the Hornets a 1-0 lead. The Hornets went on to hold the Eagles shot less for the rest of the half, with
Emily Swartzbaugh getting a shot off the final corner of the half. The Hornets took a 1-0 lead into the break.
In the third, the Hornets continued to apply pressure on the Eagles back line earning a corner early in the period. Off of that corner, Winter blasted another shot, this one saved by the keeper. After earning another corner late in the third,
Mairead McKibbin fired a shot that was saved, but she drew a penalty stroke.
Camryn DeLeva stepped up to take the stroke and fooled the goalie with a changeup, scoring her first of the year and giving the Hornets a 2-0 lead. Mary Washington got one more shot off in the period, but Swann easily saved it to preserve the shutout.
In the fourth, it was all Hornets.
Cassidy Morrison scored her team-leading seventh goal of the season before
Elizabeth Ranberger blew past all of the defenders to score a breakaway goal to slam the door on the Eagles making it 4-0. Swann was not tested in the fourth, and the Hornets ran out the clock to get back into the win column.
UP NEXT
The Hornets continue non conference play at home when Dickinson comes to town on Wednesday night. That game with the Red Devils is scheduled to start at 7 pm.
#GoSUHornets
