Junior midfielder Georgia Cowderoy races upfield by a Quinnipiac defender. (Photo courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics)
Connector Editor
The UMass Lowell Field Hockey team opened up their first year of NCAA postseason eligibility Friday afternoon at Wicked Blue Field in Lowell. The River Hawks defeated the visiting Quinnipiac Bobcats by a final score of 2-1. Senior Sophie Watt and Junior Georgia Cowderoy were the team’s two goal scorers.
The River Hawks wanted no one other than Shannon Hlebichuk at the helm as they begin their march towards a now eligible NCAA tournament. Hlebichuk is entering her 14th season as UMass Lowell’s Field Hockey coach, and she is confident in her team’s ability to handle any scenario. “We just wanted to make sure we could take care of the games that we thought we could take care of, and we did that today against Quinnipiac,” said coach after the game.
Cowderoy scored what proved to be the game winning goal with 19:17 left to go in the second half, when she rocketed a slapshot from just inside the top of the circle by Quinnipiac goal-keeper Megan Conaboy to the upper left of the goal. The blast came after a misplayed corner that midfielder Watt was able to coral and pass back. The goal came as an answer to the Bobcats tying the game at 1-1 late in the first half, and the home team never looked back.
Felicia Costanzo scored the only goal for the Bobcats at the 25:52 mark of the first half. The shot was one of seven fired at Lowell goalkeeper Kelsey Federico during the first thirty-five minutes of play. However, the River Hawks tightened up on defense in the second half, only allowing three shots.
“In the second half we definitely changed our shape, changed our formation and I do think that made a big difference,” said Coach Hlebichuk when asked about how her team played defensively. While the defense did well to hold the lead for the River Hawks, some new faces provided a spark for the team on the offensive end.
Freshman forward Torrie Huk crushed a shot on goal from the team’s first of ten corners of the day that deflected off of Watt’s stick and into the back of the cage. The freshman seemed unfazed in her first game playing in Division 1 and will certainly play a large role in the team’s success this upcoming season. When asked about her first experience on the college pitch, Huk said, “It felt really good, it was the first 20 seconds, and the goal is to get the hit off the corner and take the shot.”
Huk was one of three freshman that received playing time today, much to the delight of her coach. “I thought they played fantastic,” said coach on her freshman. “During preseason they were able to mesh right away with our current starting unit…they were ready.”
The field hockey squad is well on their way to improving their 6-13 record from last year, and they will now put their undefeated season on the line against Providence on Sunday, Aug. 30.
