After an overtime loss to American University two days prior, the University of Richmond field hockey team defeated Georgetown University 4-1 Sept. 3, capping off a four-game homestand to start the season.
UR’s loss against American was the team’s second overtime loss in just three games, so this time around, the Spiders’ offense came out prepared and with a sense of urgency from the get go.
Just three minutes into regulation, the Spiders were awarded their first penalty corner of the contest. Senior midfielder Alexandria Lavelle took the corner, but nothing changed score-wise after the attempt.
Luckily, the Spiders would attempt four more corners in the next three minutes of the first period, and the fifth time was a charm as sophomore midfielder Jess McMeeking scored her first career goal in a UR uniform off an assist from junior midfielder Annie Nash. This put the Spiders up 1-0 early, which was the opposite of their previous game when they found themselves down 1-0 early against AU.
The Spiders set up one more penalty corner in the period, but nothing came of the attempt.
In the second period, the Hoyas came out of the short break strong, tying the game after attempting three penalty corners themselves and in turn, shifting the momentum. After taking six penalty corners in the first period, the Spiders were not granted any corner opportunities over the course of the second fifteen minutes of the first half.
Despite the lack of opportunities offensively in the second period, the Spiders came out of the halftime gates aggressive and set up two penalty corners within the first two minutes of the third period. On their second try, the Spiders reached the back of the net for their second score of the afternoon. This time around it was senior forward Madi Hyatt off an assist from Lavelle to put the Spiders up 2-1.
Just about two minutes later, the Spiders got on the scoreboard again, increasing their lead over the Hoyas to two goals, 3-1. Junior forward Stevie Drum scored her second goal on the young season off an assist from Hyatt and McMeeking.
“It was a very, very strong third quarter,” UR Head Coach Jamie Montgomery said after the game. “Our analogy is the third lap of a timed mile, right? The third rep of a five rep set. Those sorts of things, those are usually the hardest and you need to make sure that you don’t take your foot off the gas in the third quarter.”
The Spiders would take five more penalty corners over the next five minutes of gameplay and ultimately reach the back of the net for a fourth time as McMeeking picked up her second goal of the day.
“Yeah, it feels great,” McMeeking said. “First two goals, sophomore, so I’m really excited. Got to hear my goal song, which was great. My mom was watching at home so that was good.”
McMeeking hails from Canterbury, England. The song that plays when she scores a goal is “God Save the King.”
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On the day, the Spiders took 15 penalty corners compared to the Hoyas’ six and took 21 shots to the Hoyas’ 12, 10 of which were shots on goal.
Defensively, redshirt sophomore goalie Kristen Rake allowed only one goal and added seven saves to her season total. In 242 minutes and five seconds of gameplay played in goal, Rake has allowed only four goals and saved 18 shots.
UR’s next game is away against Stanford University at 2 p.m. Sept. 8, starting a four-game stretch on the road for the Spiders.
“Really excited about [the road stretch],” Montgomery said. “I think when we’re talking about building a brand of hockey, that’s something that as you get on the road, you want to be more self-assured in that, and I think this team is taking steps there and they’re getting there. And it’s gonna be exciting to take this show on the road, literally.”
Contact sports editor Jimmy James at jimmy.james@richmond.edu.
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