WILMINGTON — Tower Hill scored twice in the first four minutes and change of their field hockey contest against Archmere on Oct. 6, and that was enough. The Hillers held the Auks scoreless in a 4-0 win in a battle between two Division II contenders.
Hailey Allen scored with an assist to Zoey Strasser just 2:15 into the game, and on a penalty corner two minutes later, Strasser completed a quick strike, beating Auks goalie Hadleigh Shaw after taking a pass from Molly Gallagher. Shaw kept the lead at two with a few nice saves over the course of the rest of the period.
Archmere found its footing in the second quarter and had a few decent looks at the goal. Hillers goalie Josephine Quinlan stepped up when needed, stopping Bernadette Patiño on one shot early in the second. Tower regained momentum and picked up three penalty corners in two and a half minutes midway through, but Shaw came up big, and the Auks did not allow a third goal. The Hillers did add another one, however, with five minutes left in the half. Charlotte Vanni was in perfect position to send the rebound of an Allen shot into the cage.
The Auks turned up the pressure in the second half but could not solve the Hillers’ defense. Archmere sent several shots wide. The Auks fought off a shorthanded situation early in the fourth quarter and lined up for numerous penalty corners, but Quinlan was equal to the task.
The Auks outshot the Hillers, 11-10, and had a 10-7 edge in penalty corners. Quinlan and Shaw each had 10 saves. Tower Hill (7-1) visits Tatnall on Oct. 13 at 4 p.m., while the Auks (5-3) are home for three straight beginning Friday at 3:45 p.m. against Appoquinimink.
Photos by Mike Lang.
