New Haven’s field hockey team faced the Spartans of Saint Thomas Aquinas College on Wednesday, Sept. 20, coming off a tough road loss at Franklin Pierce. Senior defender Kelli Jacobson was quick to step up for the team, leading the team with two goals, both scored on penalty strokes.
It was a slow start for the Chargers, with Saint Thomas Aquinas scoring early in the first quarter, taking advantage of a foul outside the circle. Graduate goaltender Halle Reiger saved the first shot, but the forward line for Saint Thomas Aquinas occupied the circle, allowing them to send the ball over the goal line. The Chargers lacked opportunity for the remainder of the first quarter, earning only two shots on goal over the fifteen-minute period.
The Chargers regrouped going into the second quarter, led by an unassisted goal from freshman forward Femke Boers. Feeding off this energy, junior midfielders Sophia Ruh and Johannah Lee worked together to take the ball up the field and into the circle. Senior forward Audrey Larson took a shot on goal but was denied by a defender who stopped the ball from behind the goal line. This resulted in a rare stroke call, leaving New Haven to decide which of their players would take the shot. The Chargers put their trust in Jacobson, who stepped up and lifted the ball into the upper-left corner of the goal.
Despite the rarity of stroke calls in field hockey, the call was made again shortly after Jacobson landed her shot. It was a no-brainer for the Chargers to select Jacobson once again for the stroke, which proved successful as she flicked the ball too high for the goalkeeper’s reach. The score was now 3-1 in favor of the Chargers leading into halftime.
The third quarter proved strong defenses from both teams. There were many offensive opportunities on both ends of the field, yet neither team could land a goal. After the third, the Chargers made a switch in the goal, with freshman goalkeeper Cara Lambert stepping up for her second appearance with the Chargers.
The defense on both sides stayed strong for the first few minutes of the fourth quarter, until an offensive corner from Saint Thomas Aquinas made it a 3-2 game. The Chargers were determined to bring back their two-goal lead, as a free hit from the 16-yard line resulted in a failed aerial attempt from a Saint Thomas Aquinas’ defender. Senior Kat Trammel took advantage and passed the ball up the field to junior forward Abby Nixon. Nixon then assisted the final goal of the night courtesy of Larson.
The Chargers now advance to a 2-4 overall record and are 2-1 in the Northeast-10 Conference. The field hockey team will continue with conference play on Saturday, Sept. 23, hosting Bentley University on their home turf. The game will start at 7 p.m., with more information available at NewHavenChargers.com.