The Bishop Fenwick field hockey team defeated Bishop Stang in a chilly Saturday matinee by a score of 2-0, boosting their record to 6-1-1.
With the song “Black and Yellow” playing during warmups, it was only fitting that the Crusaders would put on a show. Senior forward Rayne Millett was active from start to finish, pestering Spartan players whenever they touched the ball, and finding twine herself in the third quarter on a breakaway.
Neutral zone play was the story of the first few minutes, with neither team able to definitively establish possession early on. The first scoring chance of the game came when Fenwick’s Tess Keenan received the ball and fired on goal after a stepping start – only to miss wide left.
Stang’s forwards were fast and decisive in the rare moments they touched the ball, but Fenwick dominating the time of possession category disallowed them from creating any chances.
Another golden opportunity arose for the Crusaders on a rebound chance, but Madison Faragi was stoned on the doorstep. The game would remain scoreless after one.
The second quarter was more of the same between the conference opponents. Fenwick, once again, found the right way to keep possession. However, what they couldn’t find was the back of the net.
After a touch pass early on in the quarter, a Fenwick fan chanted, “good passing, girls” – a fair description of how they were able to control the pace. Lead passes were on point, and the team made sure to hit their teammates right on their stick blades.
During a Crusader possession a few minutes later, Millett tracked down two consecutive loose balls – much to the frustration of Stang – earning the team a corner. And although no goals followed, the effort was uplifting for the home team.
It was then Holly Delaney’s turn to make a play. She slapped away a Spartan centering pass that, had it connected, would’ve left an opponent wide open in front of the net. The halftime score read 0-0, still.
Millett made her presence felt right from the start, but it was no more apparent than in the third quarter – constantly lingering behind plays to provide stick support, and jumping to loose balls quicker than anyone else on the field.
“I thought she was solid. We came off a tough game yesterday, so I think we were a little beat up coming into today, and she is just always working in the midfield . Always trying to create opportunities,” Head Coach Mary-Beth Mahoney said. “She’s doing great.”
Stang’s defense couldn’t create any momentum, per say, but there was improvement in quarter number three. Nearly all Fenwick possessions were gravitating down low near the goal line, but the Crusaders’ poke-checking and ability to win individual battles improved.
That was until Millett raced down the field, got herself a breakaway, and fired in stride for a goal. An eruption ensued from the home-end of the bleachers, and Fenwick was less than 20 minutes away from win number six.
The Black and Yellow started to play a tad more conservative in an effort to preserve the late lead, and in the fourth quarter, they got some insurance. Junior forward Kaleigh Cooke found herself in front of the goal with the ball on her blade, and was able to stuff it into the mesh.
Next on the schedule for Fenwick are the Shamrocks of Bishop Feehan (7-1-2) where they will attempt to defend home turf once more at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 4. For Mahoney, it’s all about creating pressure on the defensive end if the team wants to come out victorious.
“We’ve got to clean up our midfield defense a little bit, I think. And just make sure, in recovery, we’re a little bit stronger,” Mahoney said.
Joey Barrett can be reached at [email protected]
