GREENVILLE — The combination of Kirsten Wenger and Maura Read proved too much for Tatnall to handle as Archmere wrapped up its field hockey regular season with a 4-2 victory over the Hornets on Oct. 26.
Read scored on three penalty corners, with Wenger assisting on all three goals. For the Auks, it was their fifth consecutive win; they will find out on Oct. 30 if their 9-6 regular season is enough to earn them a spot in the 12-team DIAA Division II state tournament bracket.
Read opened the scoring in the first quarter, but Tatnall’s Carolyn Walker tied it up a few minutes later. The Hornets controlled possession throughout much of the first part of the second quarter, but they could not convert the lone penalty corner they had during that span.
The Auks earned one corer in the quarter, and they capitalized. Wenger inbounded the ball to Read at the top of the scoring circle, and Read sent a laser through traffic and past Hornets goalie Grace Hill with 4:07 to go in the half. Tatnall went back on offense immediately after the goal, but they could not get anything past Auks goalie Ava Hughes. Hughes, who picked up her 300th career save during the game, was solid and at times better. She made a sprawling save on a penalty corner with two and a half minutes to go until the half.
The Auks’ defense played a big role in a scoreless third quarter. The defenders did a good job clogging up the passing lanes, and Madeleine Cowan earned a defensive save on a Tatnall shot. They also fought off six penalty corners.
Archmere opened up a two-goal lead at the 11:41 mark of the fourth. This time, a shot off a penalty corner was stopped, but the rebound bounced around in the space in front of Hill. Carly Polsky found the loose ball and knocked home an insurance marker.
That came in handy because after a timeout, the Hornets went on the attack. Paige Hiller stole an Archmere pass near midfield, dribbled in toward the Auks’ goal and sent the ball to teammate Ava Mitchell. Mitchell’s backhand with 9:23 remaining closed the gap to a goal.
After a save by Hill a minute after the goal, the Hornets cranked up the offensive pressure. The Auks, however, held firm, and Wenger and Read teamed up one last time with 3:34 to go.
Tatnall outshot the Auks, 11-9, and had a 12-5 edge in penalty corners. Hughes finished with six saves, and Cowan got credit for three more.
Hill had five saves for the Hornets. Tatnall (6-7) is home on Saturday at 11 a.m. against Wilmington Christian.
All photos by Mike Lang.
