ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. – In a thrilling matchup on Wednesday afternoon, senior captain Audrey Dickens propelled the St. Mary’s College of Maryland field hockey team to their fourth season victory with her first goal of the year. St. Mary’s College (4-2) clinched a 1-0 shutout win against Stevenson University (5-2) during a non-conference clash.
The game’s decisive moment unfolded at the 6:22 mark of the first period when the Seahawks earned their first penalty corner of the match. Sophomore forward Brenna Ziegler (Newark, Del./Newark Charter) sent the ball to junior captain Charlotte Horn (Schnecksville, Md./Northwestern Lehigh), who then set up Dickens for the critical goal, granting the Seahawks a 1-0 lead.
Stevenson had a couple of offensive opportunities in the 10th minute, but one shot was blocked, and the other was saved by first-year goalie Caroline McDonald (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora).
During the second quarter, St. Mary’s outshot the visitors 3-1, but Stevenson’s goalkeeper Jordan Vradenburgh made two saves, keeping it a one-goal game at halftime.
In the third frame, shots favored the Seahawks, with a count of two to one, but Stevenson’s Eve Vickery, who started the second half in goal, denied both attempts to maintain her team’s deficit at just one goal.
The final quarter belonged to the Mustangs, who posted a 5-1 shot advantage, bombarding McDonald in the last 11 minutes. However, McDonald rose to the challenge, denying all five attempts to secure the shutout victory for St. Mary’s College.
In the box score, Stevenson held a slight edge, outshooting the hosts 9-8, with a 6-5 advantage in shots on goal. Stevenson also dominated in penalty corners, with an eight to two count.
Noteworthy performances included Caroline McDonald, who tied her career-best with six saves, securing her third shutout of the season. Dickens and sophomore forward Emma Watkins (Frederick, Md./Linganore) led the offense with two shots each.
St. Mary’s now leads the series against the Mustangs with a record of 18-8-1, including three consecutive victories.
For Stevenson, Emma Gladstein and Rylee Leakway led their team with three and two shots, respectively. Both Jordan Vradenburgh and Eve Vickery made two saves as Stevenson saw their five-game win streak end.
The St. Mary’s College field hockey team will continue their season with a matchup against Bridgewater (Va.) (2-4) on September 23 at 1 p.m. The game will occur at the Jopson Athletic Complex in Bridgewater, Virginia.