BEAR – Ursuline had not lost to a Division II field hockey team this season heading into a showdown with Caravel on Oct. 18. But the Buccaneers, ranked, second in Division II by 302Sports.com, were one of the tougher foes on the Raiders’ schedule, and they posted a 3-0 shutout on the turf at Bob Peoples Stadium.
Sydney Keld continued her all-state caliber season, scoring another two goals, and Karli Cauley stopped all five shots she faced. The Buccaneers have allowed just two goals in 12 games, all wins. Only Archmere, who dropped a 2-1 decision to Caravel, has been closer, and Mount Pleasant also lost, 3-0.
Keld got the scoring started early, sending a shot from the top of the circle off the stick of a Raiders defender and into the top of the cage. Ursuline, the fourth-ranked team, had a few chances, but Cauley was there to knock away the shots.
It remained a one-goal game until the 6:38 mark of the first half. Hailey Ward sent a shot the Raiders keeper Cleo Troy was able to knock away the shot, but Caitlin St. Leger was in the right spot to backhand the rebound out of the air and into the cage.
The Raiders had opportunities to cut into the lead in the second half, earning four penalty corners in the first 15 minutes, but they could not convert. Caravel put the final goal on the board with 13:42 to go, as Megan North grabbed a rebound of her own shot and dished to Keld, who scored from the sharp angle.
That gave Keld 26 goals this season. She has scored in all but one of her team’s games, and in that one — against Archmere — she assisted on both tallies.
All seven of Ursuline’s penalty corners came in the second half, but the Bucs’ defense could not be beaten. The Raiders fell to 8-2 and host St. Elizabeth on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Serviam Field, one of two games they will play this season at their traditional home venue.
The Buccaneers, who had 11 corners and 17 shots, travel to Polytech on Monday at 4 p.m. The Panthers are 9-2 and ranked fourth in Division I.
