WILMINGTON — It was a good 17th birthday for Padua’s Chloe Wenner. The Pandas’ junior scored one goal and assisted on another as the Pandas defeated Mount Pleasant, 6-0, in nonconference field hockey on Nov. 9.
The Pandas controlled play from the jump, keeping the Green Knights from getting a shot at goalkeeper Cara Quinlan. Instead, they pressured the Mount defense all day long, keeping the heat on the hosts, who had the disadvantage of looking into a bright late-afternoon sun in the first half.
It did not take Padua long to get the only goal they would need. Just two and a half minutes into play, Maddie Mosier snuck to the right side of the cage, behind the Green Knights’ defense. Wenner sent a pass through the crease, and Mosier did the rest.
The Pandas scored four goals in the second quarter to put the game out of reach, and their work on the penalty corner was quite effective. In fact, all four goals came on penalty corners. Keira Riley tipped a shot by Abby Brainard past Knights goalkeeper Julia Levase with 11:11 left in the half. Brainard scored the next goal, taking a pass from Anna Getty and sending a low roller into the cage.
Wenner took her turn next, getting free in front of the keeper and knocking a turnaround shot through a defender’s legs and just inside the right post. Finally, Padua earned consecutive corners with time expired in the half, and on the second, Anna Getty lifted a shot past a screened goalkeeper.
Noreen Melia added the final tally with 7:08 remaining in the game.
The Pandas (6-1) outshot Mount Pleasant, 16-0, and had a12-3 edge in corners. They have little rest, traveling to Wilmington Charter on Tuesday for a 3:30 start.
Levase was credited with 10 saves. Mount (3-4) hosts St. Georges on Friday afternoon at 3:30.
All photos by Mike Lang.
