Sports

Field hockey: Eagles fall, OV takes 2 of 3

EAGLE MIDFIELDER MORGAN Barnard takes on a trio of Green Knights during the Mount Abe field hockey team’s 2-1 home setback to Rice on Saturday. Photo by Buzz Kuhns

ADDISON COUNTY — During the past week of high school field hockey action, defending Division II champion Mount Abraham team took its first loss; Otter Valley knocked off D-I and D-III teams but came up short against its only D-II foe; and Middlebury remained in search of its first victory.

EAGLES

On Saturday, visiting D-I Rice hung on to deal the Eagles — and new Coach Jen Myers — their first setback, 2-1. 

Rice scored first, the Eagles equalized, and then the Green Knights snuck in a goal early in the fourth quarter before dodging a late bullet (a missed penalty stroke) to escape with the win. 

Myers was happy with stretches of strong play from her 2-1 team, but said they didn’t start as strongly as they had in their victories.

EAGLE SENIOR CENTER midfielder Madi Gile does battle with two Rice players on Saturday at Mount Abraham. Visiting Rice edged the Eagles, 2-1.
Photo by Buzz Kuhns

 

“I would have liked to have definitely seen us come out the way that I have seen us come out before,” Myers said. “Now it’s figuring out how to go do that every game.”

She expects that to occur. 

“We have a great group of kids who can control the tempo of games,” Myers said. “I’m ready to watch that flourish as we work through the season.”

After Sophia Chan’s unassisted strike gave Rice the lead at 8:07 of the first quarter. Lily Case converted the Eagle goal at 8:41 of the second period with an assist from Paden Lathrop. Lathrop controlled on the endline and set up Case near the stroke line for the score.

“It was total execution of what we are looking for,” Myers said. “There were other opportunities we had. We just couldn’t capitalize on them.”

MOUNT ABE SENIOR forward Olivia Campbell moves the ball past a Rice defender toward the attacking circle during Saturday’s home game. Rice dealt Mount Abe its first loss, 2-1
Photo by Buzz Kuhns

Rice took the lead at 11:53 of the final period. Maddie Shaw found the cage, with the set-up coming from Clara Hershey. 

The Eagles then put the pressure on. Olivia Campbell created the two best opportunities, twice stealing the ball deep in Rice territory. Her drive rolled wide right after the first steal, and the second turned into the penalty stroke. On that play, Campbell fed Case, whose shot beat Rice goalie Samara Plunkett, but was illegally saved by a defender’s foot.

That brought senior center middie Madi Gile to the stroke line at 3:06, but one of the most clutch scorers in program history shot just wide left, and Rice held on for the victory. Plunkett made nine saves, while Eagle goalie Greta Jennison made seven.

Myers said Case played well, as did Campbell and Lathrop up front. Myers said Campbell, the group’s senior veteran, has “definitely been a great leader” as the forwards have clicked early on. 

Myers said Morgan Barnard and Sarah Heath are adapting as first-year starters at midfield, where they are flanking Gile, a four-year starter.

Despite Saturday’s Metro Conference loss, Myers believes the Eagles will hold their own.

“The competition has continued to increase since we started, as we expected,” Myers said. “But I definitely think we’re a competitive team in this league.”

Mount Abe’s Sept. 8 game vs. CVU was postponed. The Eagles were set to host Burlington on Wednesday after the deadline for this edition.

OTTERS

On Sept. 8, the visiting Otters defeated D-I rival Rutland, 3-2 in overtime, when Ryleigh Laporte netted a feed from Breanna Bovey after a Mackenzie McKay insert on a penalty corner. Laporte also scored in regulation, as did teammate Hannah Desabrais. 

Rutland goalie Emma Cosgrove finished with 16 saves, while OV goalie Lily Morgan made three.

On Saturday, visiting Woodstock dealt the Otters their first loss, 4-0. Four Wasps scored, and goalie Audrey Emery made four saves. Morgan denied seven Woodstock bids. 

On Monday, the Otters improved to 3-1 with a 2-1 win at defending D-III champion Windsor.

The Yellowjackets scored first, but the Otters knotted the game with 27 seconds left in the first quarter on a LaPorte goal set up by Bovey.

After scoreless second and third quarters, McKay buried the game winner with 5:27 left in the fourth. Morgan made three saves.

OV next hosts Brattleboro on Saturday at 11 a.m.

TIGERS

On Sept. 8, visiting Burlington blanked the Tigers, 6-0. Maria Worden (three goals) and Lola Rubin (two) did most of the damage for the Seahorses. MUHS goalie Michaela Charbonneau made three saves.

The 0-3 Tigers were set to visit Rice on Wednesday after the deadline for this edition.

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