BEAR — Ss. Peter and Paul’s field hockey team made a stop in New Castle County on Sept. 27, and the Sabres played well defensively, but they could not solve the Caravel defense in a 2-0 loss to the Buccaneers.
Caravel came out in control early, and their pressure paid off about midway through the first quarter. With 8:24 on the clock, Katelyn Judy drove down the right side and slid a pass through the crease. Delaney Brunner was there to knock the ball into the cage.
Aside from that, the Sabres’ defense did a good job clogging the passing lanes and keeping the Bucs at bay. The Bucs had averaged nearly four goals per game through their first six.
Ss. Peter and Paul goalie Madison Maloney was sharp, and she got some help late in the first when one of her defenders kept a ball out of the cage.
The Sabres got their first shot on Caravel goalie Addison Van Rensler in the opening minutes of the second, but she made the save. Maloney was equal, stopping the few shots that managed to find her in the second. Each team had one penalty corner in the second as the officials kept the action going.
Most of the action in the first seven minutes of the third quarter took place in the middle of the field, but Maloney was forced to make a big kick save after the Buccaneers earned a penalty corner. Julianna Stepp had the Sabres’ best chance in the third, but Van Rensler was there for the stop.
The Bucs kept possession for most of the fourth quarter, limiting Ss. Peter and Paul’s chances to equalize. Caravel kept the Sabres busy on defense with six penalty corners; on the last of those corners, Maloney made two acrobatic saves to keep the deficit at one.
Caravel earned one more penalty corner with about two minutes remaining, and Hailey Haynes took the inbounds pass from Hayden Haynes and drilled a shot waist high to the short side for an insurance goal.
The Bucs finished with a 15-5 shot advantage and had an 8-2 edge in penalty corners. Van Rensler was credited with four saves, and Rachel Jackson got a defensive save. Caravel (7-0) takes on Padua on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Abessinio Stadium.
Maloney stopped 13 Buccaneers shots. Ss. Peter and Paul (6-2) also plays Friday, traveling to Gunston for a 4 p.m. start.
All photos by Mike Lang.
