The Chargers’ inaugural varsity field hockey game in their history did not have the Cinderella start they wanted, as the took the lost to the Franklin Pierce Ravens 5-0 at DellaCamera stadium. 

The Chargers started their first game with five freshmen, three sophomores, three seniors, and their inexperience showed throughout the game. The team struggled to find the right passes and never crossed Franklin Pierce’s 30-yard line, only passed the halfway mark three times. 

The field hockey team did carry positives, though. The defense showed promise in the first half. Even though they failed to get an offense going, the defense played well as Franklin Pierce was unable to get any good shots until the second half. 

However, the Ravens did  find the back of the net in the 21st minute, which would be the only goal scored in the first half. That goal was scored by Nicole McDowell. The second half started with a bang as Franklin Pierce’s Raegan Moulton drilled a rocket shot that got past Charger goalie Nicole Shaker. A few minutes later, Moulton ripped another through the defense, but was called back due to an offsides call. 

Franklin Pierce took a total of 18 corners before Carly Canavan finally scored on one in the 58th minute. That was a huge positive for the Chargers defense as the Ravens had 18 corners and only scored once, a showcase of the Charger’s defense. Off the Raven’s bench, Emma McGonagle scored the final goal in the 60th minute, after only playing 14 minutes.  

The clear MVP of the game for the Chargers was freshman starting goalie, Natalie Shaker, in her first career game. She collected 13 saves, including a couple of diving saves. Shaker is going to face a lot of shots all year if the offense keeps struggling to find passes and to pass the 30-yard line. Shaker proved that she is going to be a big part of the team’s future, as she is the only listed goalie on the roster.  

Most of these players have only really played at the club level, while one is also on the lacrosse team. The team should improve with every game, and hopefully by the end of the year they will rack in a couple of wins. For now, the team is focused on growing.