CUA Field Hockey Seeks First Win of 2025 Against Dickinson
Photo by Susie Blanchard.
By Anthony Curioso
After two hard-fought losses to open the season, in which they only surrendered two goals in each game, the CUA Cardinals field hockey team entered Cardinal Stadium for their September 6 game against the Dickinson College Red Devils with one hope in mind: to increase their scoring prowess and snap their season-opening two-game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Red Devils came into the September 6 game having achieved a two-game winning streak, both home games, which consisted of a 1-0 shootout win and a 6-0 blowout one week previously.
A typical college field hockey game consists of four fifteen-minute quarters, contrasting with the three twenty-minute-period structure associated with ice hockey.
In the first quarter, the highlights for the Cardinals included several impressive efforts to keep the ball in play, consistent defensive pressure, and constant communication between players when alignment adjustments became necessary. The Red Devils’ highlights from the first quarter featured consistent pressure on both sides of the ball, rock-solid focus, and impressive levels of communication between their players. The game remained scoreless at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Cardinals’ highlights included flashy glove work in the net from Ella Bowman, a sophomore International Business major and their starting goaltender, to supplement a swift and strong play style on both sides of the ball, the defensive players teaming up to block a penalty shot, and additional strong communication. On the Red Devils’ side, goaltender and senior English major Taylor Morrow remained equally as strong as in the first quarter, and their remaining players supported her with highlight plays such as a relentless offense, great deflections to avoid pushing the ball out of bounds, and continued strong defense. At halftime, the score remained tied at 0-0.
In the third quarter, the Cardinals’ highlights included additional excellent work in net from Bowman. Meanwhile, the Red Devils’ highlights in the third quarter included narrowly holding off a Cardinals offensive attack play and a goal from Dickinson midfielder and senior business management major Maggie Carson. Ultimately, the third quarter ended with a score of 1-0 in favor of the Red Devils.
The highlights from the Cardinals in the fourth quarter consisted of continuing the successful efforts from earlier in the game. The Red Devils’ highlights in the fourth quarter included an impressive steal of the ball from a Cardinals midfielder, continued impressive glove work from Morrow in net, and consistent communication between players. Ultimately, the final score was 1-0 in favor of the Red Devils, which in turn extended the Cardinals’ losing streak while simultaneously extending the Red Devils’ winning streak.
Both teams’ sportsmanship was evident throughout the entire game, as was each player’s support for her teammates.
As of this writing, the Cardinals field hockey team’s next game will be a road game in Bridgewater, Virginia, on September 10 at 7 p.m. against the Bridgewater College Eagles.
The Red Devils field hockey team’s next game will also be on the road, against the Susquehanna University River Hawks on September 10 at 4:30 p.m.
