Field Hockey loses at home to Seagulls

By: Lindsey Martin

After an impressive 2-1 victory over the Randolph Macon Yellow Jackets to kick-off the season on Sept. 1, hopes for an early winning streak for the Christopher Newport Field Hockey team were cut short in a heart-breaking 1-0 second game home loss to the Salisbury Seagulls.

The Captains were looking to enter their second game of the season with intensity versus Salisbury University on Sept. 7, but knew they would be up for a challenge. The Seagulls were ranked fourth in the preseason NFHCA poll and CNU was ranked eight spots below, in 12th.

During a defensive battle in the first half CNU threatened to score and managed four shots on cage but could not get past Salisbury’s goalie, Anna Cooke. When CNU earned short corners they were unable to take advantage of them and the defense was pressured constantly. Everyone on the team recognized their need for focus in the games to come.

“We’re just trying to stay positive and support one another, talk each other up,” head coach Carrie Moura said after the game.

The loss was not being harbored on in the locker room. After the Salisbury game the Captains gathered their composure for the Mary Washington Invitational in Fredericksburg, VA. starting with a dominating 4-0 win against Centre College on Sept. 10, where they had nearly five times as many shots on goal as their opponents. Each goal was scored by a different Captain.

CNU kept on the offensive on Sept. 11 against Division I opponent, the Liberty Flames, significantly outshooting the Flames 13-5. The Captains could not capitalize on penalties, however, and a few ball bounces out of their favor lead to a 2-1 defeat.

“There is no room for error at this point,” senior attacker Paige Childers said about the rest of the season. Childers has taken on more than the role of being an upperclassmen on the squad: she is also the captain on a young, developing team with many contributing freshmen.

Belle Tunstall, a freshman attacker, is already a starter.  She is dealing with the pressure by not thinking too much about herself.

“I have to think about how I can help the team,” she said. This strategy has seemed to work so far, as she has racked up two assists to lead the team in its opening games.

Now at 2-2, the Captains will return to action on Sept. 15th, the start of a five-game home stand, when they host the Washington and Lee Generals on Captains Field.

Posted by The Captain's Log on Sep 14 2011. Filed under Field Hockey, Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.