Box Score WILLIAMSTOWN, MA—A prideful day for Williams field hockey (7-3), as the dedication of Williamson Field preceded the Ephs victory over Wesleyan University (3-7), 4-1.
From the first whistle, the Ephs dominated the play. Their ability to keep the ball in their offensive circle presented them with multiple corners. On the sixth corner of the game, the Ephs decided to insert it from the left side of the net instead of the right where they had done the prior corners. Junior Annie VanWagenen, the target of all the inserts, received the ball at the top. With a hesitation fake, she sent the ball wide to sophomore Kit Rosen, who fired an outside shot across the center. With a smack of the backboards, Rosen's shot put the Ephs up 1-0.
Ten minutes later, VanWagenen took the shot off the corner for herself and sailed one past the keeper, only to be called for a high shot.
Doing all they could to tie up the game before the half, Wesleyan earned a corner off a hustle play. With only 1:58 left in the half, the Cardinals converted the corner to put them on the board. Sophomore Katie Gallop charged the striker and prevented the shot, but senior Lilah Fones collected the ball and sent a cross to first year Tierney Behles. Behles quickly redirected the pass into the goal.
Of the first half Coach Alix Barrale said, "I think we let down after that first goal. Instead of trying to score another one, we were complacent."
The half time break gave Williams the boost it needed to push ahead again. "We reset at halftime and refocused," said Barrale. "We got back in sync." In the first five minutes Williams broke the tie. After the Ephs cleared it out of the midfield, sophomore Allie Holle sent a ball bouncing into the circle. Taking it off the bounce, senior co-captain Caitlin Colon hit it out of the air to the far low corner before goalkeeper Sara Grundy could react.
Winning the ball on the sideline, sophomore Rachel Brissette sent in a cross that ultimately resulted in another Williams corner. VanWagenen again received it from the left side and pushed the ball low to Holle. Holle attempted a shot, but anticipating its slow roll, Brissette knocked it into the goal before the Cardinals defense could clear it.
Now down 3-1, Wesleyan took a run on offense. On a corner, junior Hannah Plappert fired a hard rolling shot, forcing sophomore Margaret Draper to lay out for a kick save.
However, the Ephs were still unsatisfied with the score. After a rebound into the offensive circle, Conlon hustled the ball into the net as she streaked in from the far side of the circle.
Wesleyan substituted in sophomore goalkeeper Claire Edelman in response.
With less time less in the game, Wesleyan created more opportunities to score. Draper and her defense, that saw the efforts of six different players today, were successful in denying the Cardinals of any goals. Before being subbed out in the last minutes of the game, Draper had an impressive five saves.
The diversity in the Ephs attack was the difference maker for them today. "Our finishing was on...we were able to score off corners and regular play," noted Barrale.
The Ephs hope to continue the momentum in the NESCAC against Bowdoin College tomorrow at 1 PM on Williamson Field.
