Box Score
FARMVILLE, Va. – The Longwood University field hockey team cleared two, last second corner attempts to hold on for the 3-2 victory against Northern Pacific Field Hockey Conference (NorPac) rival Radford University (2-15, 2-5 NorPac) on Wednesday evening in the squad's Pink Zone game at the Athletics Complex. Junior Stacey de Grandhomme|Cape Town, South Africa (Table View) led the Lancers (6-12, 5-2 NorPac) with a pair of goals on the night. Longwood will close out the regular season and celebrate Senior Day on Sunday, October 28 when the team hosts league opponent Appalachian State University at 12 p.m.
“Although we scored two goals, I think the first half was one of the ugliest performances we've played,” said head coach Iain Byers. “We looked flat and without desire, and weren't really up for the game. We had an interesting team talk at halftime and the team recognized the areas they needed to work on. We came out, didn't let them score in the second half and got one ourselves. It still wasn't particularly the prettiest hockey we've played, but a win is a win. We're happy with a win, but the performance, I think the team would agree, could be better. We know on Sunday we are going to come out with a better attitude, better focus, and really give App State a great game, hopefully giving our seniors a great send off.”
Senior Christina Verhulst|Yorktown (Grafton) added to the offensive effort with one goal and one assist for three points in the outing. Sophomore Jessica Diaz|Chesapeake (Western Branch) tallied one assist for one point in the victory, as well. Freshman Meg Mitchell|Allentown, Pa. (Emmaus) and senior Amy Lewis|Lewisville, N.C. (Forsyth Country Day) each played one half in front of the cage for Longwood, combining for three saves.
The Lancers took a 1-0 lead less than nine minutes into the game by converting on a penalty corner opportunity. de Grandhomme took the initial shot from the top of the circle, but it was blocked with a diving save by Radford's Sidney Encarnaci0n before a well-positioned Verhulst scooped up the rebound and chipped a shot around the fallen keeper for the go-ahead goal.
Radford retaliated on a corner of its own when Stacey Mackintosh collected her own rebound off a kick save by Mitchell and fired a second shot that rang the back of the cage to knot the game at 1-1 with just over 14 minutes left in the first half.
The contest would not stay tied for long, as Diaz dribbled into the right side of the circle and made a move to one side, drawing the Radford keeper out of the cage before sending a short pass to de Grandhomme for an easy tip in to make it a 2-1 Lancers' lead.
The Highlanders answered once again with less than two minutes remaining in the half, converting on another corner opportunity. Ashton Cox inserted the ball directly to Mackintosh for the shot and goal, sending the teams into halftime tied at 2-2.
After more than 10 minutes of scoreless action to open the second half, Verhulst sent a cross to the right side of circle for de Grandhomme, who launched a hard shot that found the back of the cage for what would be the eventual game-winner, putting Longwood on top, 3-2.
Radford would not go silently, forcing back-to-back corners at the end of regulation in a last ditch effort to send the game to overtime, but when the Highlanders failed to make a clean insertion, sophomore Kelley Fay|Havertown, Pa. (Merion Mercy Academy) rushed the ball to clear it out of the circle, sealing the victory for Longwood.
The Lancers outshot the Highlanders, 13-8, in the contest, while Radford took a slim, 8-7 edge in penalty corners. Wednesday's match marked the 31st meeting between the two schools in the sport of field hockey, and the second this season. With Longwood's two wins this year, the all-time series is now tied, 14-14-3.
