ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. – The St. Mary’s College of Maryland field hockey team has earned home-field advantage throughout the 2021 Atlantic East Conference Field Hockey Championship Tournament following their regular-season finale victory Thursday night. The Seahawks (9-7, 5-0 AEC) clinched the top seed by handing Cabrini University (9-8, 4-1 AEC) its first conference loss of the season – a 2-1 setback
Tonight’s triumph marks the first-ever undefeated conference season in the history of the St. Mary’s College field hockey program. Additionally, this is the first time the Seahawks will enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed
How It Happened
- SMCM staked an early lead in the ninth minute when first-year forward Jill Hayden (Abell, Md./Chopticon) put back a rebound for her first career goal.
- The Seahawks doubled their advantage in the 20th minute as senior Maddie Mayuga (Upper Marlboro, Md./Elizabeth Seton) sent in a cross from the left side and senior midfielder Gabrielle Corder (Centreville, Md./Queen Anne’s County) finished at the far post for her fourth of the season.
- After being held without a single shot in the first half and finding themselves down 2-0 at halftime, Cabrini turned on the pressure in the second half. The Cavaliers peppered St. Mary’s College with six shots and garnered eight penalty corners in the third quarter.
- The visitors ended the Seahawks’ conference scoreless streak at 298:40 minutes when Daly Ewing scored an unassisted goal to finally put Cabrini on the board with less than two minutes remaining in the game.
Inside the Box Score
- St. Mary’s College edged the Cavaliers, 10-9, in shots while Cabrini posted a 10-6 margin in corners with all 10 coming in the second half.
- The Seahawk defense did a fantastic job in holding the Atlantic East’s top offensive player, Caroline Gallagher, to just three shots (two on target) in 60 minutes. Gallagher entered tonight’s action leading the league with 12 goals, seven assists, and 31 points as well as four game-winning goals.
Top Performers
- Corder paced the Seahawks with five shots while Hayden became the seventh SMCM player to notch a game-winning goal this season.
- First-year Kaley Christman (Jefferson, Md./Brunswick) finished the night with four stops as Christman improved to 6-2 as the starting goalie.
- Courtney Keith picked up three saves in the Cavaliers’ second straight loss.
Notes
- St. Mary’s College had outscored its Atlantic East opponents, 20-0, before the Cavaliers found the back of the cage in the 59th minute.
Up Next for the Seahawks
- Nov. 3 vs. Lowest Remaining Seed – St. Mary’s City, Md./Jamie L. Roberts Stadium – TBA