ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. – St. Mary’s College of Maryland field hockey opened its inaugural season in the United East Conference with a resounding victory on Friday night (Oct. 4). The Seahawks (3-7, 1-0 UEC) dominated Lancaster Bible College (2-10, 0-1 UEC) in their conference opener, posting a 7-0 shutout at home.
Early Scoring Sets the Tone
The Seahawks wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as junior forward Brenna Ziegler (Newark, Del./Newark Charter) deflected a pass from senior captain Charlotte Horn (Schnecksville, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) into the net just minutes into the game. The goal followed the team’s second penalty corner of the night, putting St. Mary’s College in the lead at 2:39.
The Seahawks extended their advantage at the 13:42 mark, when junior forward Emma Watkins (Frederick, Md./Linganore) converted a pass from sophomore midfielder Alyssa Riggleman (Sudlersville, Md./Queen Anne’s County) to make it 2-0.
Dominance Continues in Second Quarter
St. Mary’s College maintained their momentum in the second quarter, doubling their lead to 4-0 by halftime. Ziegler struck again, this time connecting with junior forward Briana Allen (Bowie, Md./Mount de Sales) at 16:37. Later, Ziegler assisted junior midfielder Sofia Lopez (Timonium, Md./Dulaney) at 28:30, capping off a strong first half for the Seahawks.
Seahawks’ Offense Unrelenting
The Seahawks continued their offensive assault in the third quarter, adding three more goals in quick succession. Ziegler completed her standout performance with an unassisted goal at 32:28, securing her second goal of the game.
Junior defender Jena Vanskiver (Fallston, Md./Fallston) then scored her first goal of the season on a penalty corner, assisted by Allen, at 35:01. Watkins rounded out the scoring spree with her second goal of the night, thanks to an assist from Vanskiver, at 37:18.
Defensive Effort Seals the Shutout
While the Seahawks dominated offensively, their defense held firm throughout the game. Lancaster Bible struggled to generate any opportunities, managing only one shot, which came in the fourth quarter. Senior goalie Kaley Christman (Jefferson, Md./Brunswick) made a crucial save on a shot from Lancaster Bible’s Mattie Krieg at 57:32 to preserve the shutout.
St. Mary’s College finished the game with a commanding 26-1 shot advantage, including 16 shots on goal compared to Lancaster Bible’s single attempt. The Seahawks also controlled penalty corners, with an 11-0 margin over the Chargers.
Notable Performances
Brenna Ziegler led the Seahawks with two goals and two assists, firing five shots, four of which were on target. Emma Watkins added two goals to the effort, while Briana Allen and Jena Vanskiver each contributed a goal and an assist.
Sophia Kent, a first-year goalkeeper, made her first career start for the Seahawks and did not need to make any saves in the first 45 minutes of play, earning her first career win. Christman, who replaced Kent in the fourth quarter, notched one save to secure the team’s second shutout of the season.
Lancaster Bible goalkeeper Amanda Hoover made eight saves, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Seahawks from claiming their third win of the season.
Next Matchup
The Seahawks will hit the road for their next game, traveling to Bridgewater, Virginia, to face Bridgewater College (5-3-1) on Sunday, Oct. 6, at 1 p.m. The game will take place at The Stadium at the Jopson Athletic Complex.
