WINCHESTER, Va. – The #19 Shenandoah University field hockey team was back at home Wednesday evening when Dickinson College came to Aikens Stadium for a non-conference matchup. The Hornets (4-2) nearly needed the entire 60 minutes but got two late goals from
Cassidy Morrison in the fourth quarter and an insurance goal from
Farren Winter to beat the Red Devils 3-0. Shenandoah out shot the Red Devils, firing 20 shots with 15 of them on goal, and had the edge in penalty corners six to five.
Taylor Swann started in net for the Hornets and was fantastic, coming up with eight saves and earning her second straight shutout.
Farren Winter led the way for the Hornets with five shots and four of them on target, including a goal late in the fourth.
Elizabeth Ranberger fired four shots while
Claudia Lenahan,
Mairead McKibbin,
Camryn DeLeva,
Kaitlyn Nakamura, and
Cassidy Morrison all had multiple shots.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams took some time to settle into the game as neither offense made a strong push until the Red Devils quickly fired three straight shots halfway through the quarter that Swann turned away easily. Late in the first quarter, the Hornets had their first offensive opportunity when Ranberger and Nakamura each got shots off, Ranberger's was saved while Nakamura's sailed just wide. Swann made one more save in the period before Winter and Nakamura ended the quarter with shots that were saved.
In the second, the Hornets earned their first penalty corner of the game but could not cash in as Winter's shot was denied. DeLeva quickly fired a shot off the rebound, but that was blocked. With the ball consistently down in the Red Devils zone, Lenahan and Ranberger each got shots off, and both were saved. One more corner for the Hornets and another shot from Lenahan that was saved, and Shenandoah went to the break with the score still tied at zero. The Hornets did not give up a shot to Dickinson in the second quarter.
In the third, the Hornets continued the pressure but could not find the back of the cage. Five minutes into the period, Swann easily stopped the only two shots she faced in the quarter. The Hornets went on a power play but were not able to capitalize on the player advantage. Before the quarter ended, McKibbin got a green card and the Hornets then had to kill a penalty for over the final two minutes, which they did successfully.
In the fourth, Dickinson got two shots off early in the quarter but
Mallory Holup made a defensive save on a ball that got past Swann. Holup was there on the goal line to stop the ball before Dickinson could take a 1-0 lead. The Hornets turned the pressure up and earned a corner. First, DeLeva's shot was saved, but on the following corner,
Madison Short sent the ball to
Farren Winter who ripped a shot from the top of the arch.
Cassidy Morrison was there to redirect the shot past the keeper and give the Hornets the 1-0 lead. The goal was Morrison's eighth of the season. 90 seconds later, it was Morrison again after Ranberger's shot was saved, Morrison was there to clean it up for the second goal of the game.
Farren Winter added one more insurance goal 30 seconds later, after her initial shot was saved, the rebound went back to her and she did not miss the second one.
UP NEXT
#2 Salisbury University comes to town on Saturday for a battle of top-25 teams. That game with the Seagulls will start at noon.
#GoSUHornets
