Field Hockey bounces back with win against Drexel
After a difficult loss against Towson Friday, the VCU field hockey team was able to come back with a 4-2 win against Drexel Sunday.
Junior midfielder Chelsea Hill has contributed one assist in three games so far this season.
Amir Vera
Staff Writer
Commonwealth Times’ Sports Twitter
After a difficult loss against Towson Friday, the VCU field hockey team was able to come back with a 4-2 win against Drexel Sunday.
VCU used Friday’s game as a learning experience, so they knew what they needed to work on in order to come away victorious Sunday.
“I think we really took what we learned from Friday’s game,” head coach Kelly McQuade said. “The upsetting disappointment of dominating and not being able to execute and capitalize.”
The start of the game looked very similar to Friday, as the Rams allowed Drexel to score off of a corner shot. Senior goalkeeper Erin Jablonski dove to block the shot, leaving the goal wide open, allowing the Dragons to score. Drexel would score again on a fast break, taking another opportunity as Jablonski dove for the ball.
With momentum at its peak, Drexel pressed VCU with their tough defense, keeping the game on one side of the field. However, things took a turn in the last eight minutes of the first half as VCU scored off of a corner shot. Sophomore defensive back Stephanie DeMasi was able to see the very tight open lane in the left corner of the goal and score.
It was at this point that the momentum changed.
The Rams began playing more aggressively and overtook Drexel, who did not score again for the rest of the game.
“I think once we got settled into our groove and recognized after that first goal we got under our belts that we can do it,” McQuade said. “We had a little bit more confidence in ourselves, and we were able and willing to take more chances and risks.”
The chances and risks were obviously worth it as DeMasi would score again off a corner shot, tying the game. After that, VCU took over the game as junior forward Kelsey Scherrer scored the last two goals off a fast break and a corner shot.
The game was not just about taking the chances and risks coach McQuade referred to. Open opportunities were also a big part of Sunday’s win. Scherrer said the opportunities the team capitalized on in Sunday’s game are what made them struggle in Friday’s loss.
“We were having opportunity after opportunity – short corners, everything else – and we were having them, and they were just going off the baseline,” Scherrer said. “We’ve practiced, and we came into today’s game knowing that we were going to finish those. That’s going to be our team secret weapon, and we showed today that that is what our strong suit is.”
As VCU celebrates this victory, they prepare for next week’s game against Hofstra. The team will need to improve on their overall penetration to the goal, as well as taking advantage of corners if they plan on being successful.
“I think we can execute a little bit better on our corners,” McQuade said. “I think we put together a fantastic game of hockey. We need to take these positives and this confidence boost we have, and build it up into more conference play.”
The Rams will travel to Hofstra Friday, with the next home game being Oct. 9 against the University of the Pacific.
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Photos by Chris Conway
