WILMINGTON — Lucy Nace poked a few loose balls into the cage, and the Tower Hill defense threw up a brick wall against Ursuline, as the Hillers defeated the Raiders, 3-0, in nonconference field hockey on Oct. 3 at Richardson Field. A day after the mercury climbed into the mid-90s, the game was played in comfortable, seasonable temperatures in a steady mist.
It took several minutes for the teams to get going, as most of the action took place in the middle of the field. The Hillers did get a shot off five minutes in, but it went wide. Tower earned two penalty corners within 45 seconds of each other, but one shot was deflected over the end line, and another went wide.
The Raiders’ defensive corps helped keep the game scoreless. Halfway through the first half, a Hillers crossing pass rolled through the crease along the goal line, but a Raiders defender was able to swat it away.
Tower Hill would finally break through at the 10:43 mark. Off a penalty corner, Jennifer Cleary sent the ball to the left post. Nace found the ball and tucked it into the corner of the cage behind Stephanie Kulenguskey, who was likely screened on the play. That was all the scoring in the half.
Ursuline finally got some offensive pressure early in the second, but the Raiders could not get a shot on Linsey Palma. They managed their first two corners of the afternoon, and on the second one, Palma made a chest-high save on the only shot she faced.
Nace doubled the Hillers’ lead with 17:25 left on a play that looked remarkably similar to the first. The ball was inbounded on a penalty corner, and Nace drifted from a crowd in front of Raiders keeper Sam Hurd to the left post. She gained control of the loose ball and slid her second goal into the cage. Cleary earned that assist as well.
Grace Nestor added a goal on the final play of the game for the third tally.
The Hillers outshot the Raiders, 13-1, and had a 12-2 advantage in penalty corners. They improved to 4-2-1 and play Wilmington Christian on Monday at 3:45 p.m. at Hockessin Montessori School.
Kulenguskey and Hurd combined for 10 saves. The Raiders (4-4) take on Delaware Military on the road Tuesday at 3:45 p.m.
