CLAYMONT – Bree Moffett scored three goals, and Ava Elias had two goals and two assists as Smyrna overwhelmed Archmere, 8-2, in the field hockey season debut for both teams on Sept. 4 in Claymont.
It was all Eagles in the opening minutes, with Smyrna – coming off an appearance in the Division I state championship game last season – earning three penalty corner opportunities in a two-minute span. They took advantage of the third, which was set up by a steal by Moffett. Auks goalie Paige Noval made the initial stop, but Elias was there to send the rebound home at the 10:52 mark.
The Auks were able to escape their defensive zone with a long pass to the right of the Smyrna goal. On a penalty corner, freshman Lauren Wenger found the ball in a scramble in front of Eagles goalie Nora O’Connell, and she threaded the needle for the equalizer less than two minutes after the Smyrna goal.
Elias got that one back shortly thereafter, but that was not the end of the action in the first quarter. O’Connell made a diving stop on one play, and with 12 seconds remaining, Smyrna missed on a penalty stroke.
Noval was the star at the outset of the second quarter, stopping three Eagles attempts, before her offense began to assert itself. Archmere controlled possession for much of the quarter, but they could not tie the score. Smyrna made the Auks pay with two minutes remaining in the half. Moffett scored this time, capitalizing on a corner.
The game remained close throughout most of the third before Smyrna created some breathing room. Clara Nacrelli and Kennedy Marks tallied 45 seconds apart to extend the lead to four.
Bernadette Patino stopped the Eagles’ scoring run at four goals with one off a penalty corner for Archmere four minutes into the final quarter, but Smyrna added three more before the final horn.
O’Connell finished with four saves for Smyrna (1-0). The Eagles had seven penalty corner opportunities to the Auks’ six. Smyrna plays at Polytech on Sept. 11 at 4 p.m.
Archmere (0-1) also is off until Sept. 11, when Saint Mark’s visits for a 3:45 p.m. start.
Photos by Mike Lang.
