Ben Martindale, Sports Editor
Drew Clements, Contributing Writer
VCU field hockey beat Saint Louis University in a hard-fought game Friday at Cary Street Field.
“They stuck to the game plan pretty well,” said VCU head coach Stacey Bean. “Regardless of what the score was, whether we were down like we were at the beginning, or as we kind of added to the lead. We just stuck with the outlet and the press that our gameplan called for. You know, it was just a matter of discipline.”
The two teams battled back and forth in the opening quarter with neither team able to establish an advantage. At the 13:01 mark of the second quarter, first-year Maddie Croghan scored to put the Billikens on the board first.
After the goal, the razor close competition resumed, with both teams pushing a fast pace. The two defenses were highlights of the first half, neither giving an inch to the opposing teams offense.
With just 3 seconds remaining in the first half, VCU fourth-year Josefina Ventimiglia knotted up the score at one, scoring her third goal of the season.
The third quarter played out much like the first, with both teams having their moments, but neither able to pull out in front of the other.
Ventimiglia’s standout afternoon continued into the final quarter, scoring her second goal of the game and giving VCU a 2-1 lead.
“I couldn’t have done it without the team,” Ventimiglia said. “I think actually I scored out of a stroke that was taken by another player, so I appreciate my team because they give me the opportunities and then make it easy for me.”
From that point, the Rams took control and never allowed SLU to regain momentum. Fourth-year McKenzie White scored at the 8:18 mark of the fourth quarter and minutes later third-year Cameron Butler scored another goal for the Rams.
VCU held their 4-1 lead for the remainder of the game, completing the comeback and earning their fourth win of the season.
The victory was a big one for the Rams, who had a lot to prove following a shutout loss to Lafayette College last time out.
“We came off of a rough weekend and now we’re just proving what we are worth and what we can do,” Butler said. “Our energy kept high. We got scored on right away and we immediately turned it back around and came out with the win.”
VCU field hockey will match up against Georgetown at 1 p.m. on Sunday Sept. 27 at Cary Street Field.