ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. – Junior forward Briana Allen scored her first goal of the season, giving St. Mary’s College of Maryland (2-6) a brief lead on Saturday, but the Seahawks ultimately fell 4-1 to No. 2-ranked Salisbury University (8-1) in non-conference field hockey action.
The Seahawks opened the scoring early in the third quarter after a scoreless first half. Allen, a junior from Bowie, Md., found the back of the cage just 48 seconds into the second half. The goal was set up by graduate midfielder Anna Eaton, who lofted a shot that was initially deflected before Allen capitalized to give St. Mary’s a 1-0 lead.
The goal marked the first time this season that Salisbury, a perennial field hockey powerhouse, had trailed in a game. However, the Sea Gulls quickly responded, tying the game eight minutes later when Emma Radebaugh scored off a rebound, netting her fourth goal of the season.
Just 43 seconds after Radebaugh’s goal, Salisbury took the lead. Alex Kupper sent a cross from the right side, and Regan Nacrelli redirected the ball into the net, putting the Sea Gulls up 2-1. Salisbury added another goal before the end of the third quarter when Marli McDorman dribbled past St. Mary’s defense and ripped a shot into the cage, extending the lead to 3-1.
St. Mary’s goalkeeper Caroline McDonald, a sophomore, had a busy day in the cage, making eight saves in the first 45 minutes of play. First-year goalkeeper Sophia Kent took over in the fourth quarter and made an immediate impact with five saves. However, Radebaugh struck again at the 51:55 mark, scoring her second rebound goal of the game to secure Salisbury’s three-goal advantage.
Statistical Breakdown
Salisbury dominated in both shots and penalty corners. The Sea Gulls finished with a commanding 31-11 advantage in total shots, including a 20-4 edge in shots on goal. Salisbury also earned 11 penalty corners compared to St. Mary’s three. Despite the disparity in shots, St. Mary’s defense, led by junior defender Jena Vanskiver, held strong. Vanskiver made her first defensive save of the season in the fourth quarter, helping to stymie Salisbury’s relentless attack.
For St. Mary’s, Allen’s goal was the highlight of the day, and teammates Brenna Ziegler and Sofia Lopez, both juniors, also contributed offensively with two shots each. McDonald and Kent combined for 15 saves on the day, with Kent making seven stops in just one quarter of action.
Salisbury’s Emma Radebaugh finished with two goals, while McIlvain recorded two saves to notch her eighth win of the season as Salisbury’s goalkeeper.
What’s Next for the Seahawks
St. Mary’s will look to bounce back as they face a tough stretch of road and home games. The Seahawks will travel to face No. 17 Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va., on October 2 a 6 p.m. Following that, they will host Lancaster Bible College on October 4 at 6:30 p.m. before heading back on the road to Bridgewater, Va., to take on Bridgewater College on October 6 at 1 p.m.
