Home Local Sports Kenney scores twice as Ursuline field hockey overcomes test from St. Georges

Kenney scores twice as Ursuline field hockey overcomes test from St. Georges

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Jordan Kenney (partially obscured), scores Ursuline's first goal. (The Dialog/Mike Lang)

NEW CASTLE – Ursuline’s field hockey team has been winning fairly comfortably margins this season, but when the Raiders were tested by St. Georges on the afternoon of Oct. 2, they responded. Five minutes after the Hawks pulled even, Jordan Kenney responded with her second goal and the eventual game-winner in a 2-1 decision at Kirkwood Soccer Club.

Despite a decided advantage in shots and penalty corners, the Raiders had just a 1-0 lead at halftime. They nearly doubled that in the first minute of the second half, but Hawks goalkeeper Julianna DeSouza outraced a Raider to the ball. Mary Alexander sent a shot off the crossbar a short time later.

Players from Ursuline and St. Georges have the ball surrounded. (The Dialog/Mike Lang)

St. Georges then wrested control of the game, putting pressure on the Raiders’ defense. A penalty corner was unsuccessful, but on the Hawks’ next one, they struck. Sarah Tyre sent the ball toward the left side of the crease, and Samantha Bloch went low to the far side for the equalizer with 21:18 to go in the game.

It was the first time – other than when their games were scoreless – that Ursuline had not led this year, but they did not let that bother them. They took advantage of a penalty corner of their own at the 15:16 mark, as Kenney snagged a rebound of a blocked shot off the stick of Julie Copeman, took a step or two to get some space, and found an opening.

Raiders keeper Cleo Troy kept her team in front with a huge save with about five minutes remaining. Although Ursuline would hold on to the ball for most of the balance of the half, the Hawks did earn one final penalty corner with a minute to go. That was not converted, and Ursuline did not relinquish possession again.

Jordan’s first goal, with 17:15 to go in the first half, came off a restart. Jane Lyons sent a high, arcing pass to Katie Shroyer, who fed Kenney in front. DeSouza stopped her first attempt, but she could not get to the second effort.

The Raiders had a 20-4 advantage in shots and 10-4 in penalty corners. The team puts its 6-0 record on the line Sunday at 2:30 p.m. against rival Padua at the University of Delaware’s Rullo Stadium as part of the Turf Bowl.

DeSouza was outstanding for the Hawks, finishing with 18 saves. St. Georges fell to 4-3 and is back in action Thursday night, also in the Turf Bowl at Rullo, against Newark at 8.