By J.T. Mitchell
Staff Writer
The Sewanee Field Hockey team used a huge second-half performance to defeat Concordia University Wisconsin by a score of 3-1 on Saturday. It was a vital win for the team, as they were able to close out their regular season with a conference victory while honoring their four seniors: Nikki Ereli, Violet Hoagland, Anne Shea, and Hannah Tompkins.
In the first half, Concordia Wisconsin jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, thanks to an impressive defensive performance and a goal from Rachel Larson scored in the 14th minute of the game. The Falcons would keep this lead going into halftime.
Sewanee did not stay cold for long, though. In the second half’s opening minute, Southern Athletic Association (SAA) goal-leader, Ceara Caffrey (C’20), scored to tie the game up at 1. Her 18th goal of the year was a huge one and it sparked a well needed offensive run for the Tigers.
During the 3-0 run, Molly Wheeler (C’22) then scored in the 53rd minute before Alex Hornsby (C’21) capitalized in the 62nd minute to secure the win for Sewanee.
The Sewanee defense was nearly perfect in the second half. No goals were given up by goalie Rachel Blum (C’21), and she was able to come away with six saves plus the win on such a special day, honoring the seniors who have dedicated much time and effort to the program.
“Everytime we step out on the field, we expect each other to do our absolute best, so it was amazing to win on Senior Day,” Hoagland said.
Next up for the Tigers (10-5, 3-2) will be the first round of the SAA conference tournament. The team will play on Friday, November 2 at 4:00 p.m. in Conway, Arkansas against Transylvania, and they hope the strong end to the regular season will transfer over to the postseason.
“This win shows that we’re ready for the tournament,” star forward Caffrey said. “We are a strong team, and we’re ready to win and keep going, and hopefully win the SAA.”