Dialog reporter
WILMINGTON – Padua’s field hockey team remained undefeated with a 2-1 win against rival Ursuline on Oct. 11, but the Pandas needed overtime for the second straight game to stay in the winning column.
After the teams split possession during the second half, the Pandas had all the momentum in the 15-minute extra session. At the 11:31 mark, Jill Sherman found Kathleen Melia in front of the cage, and Melia sent the ball low and to the left of Raiders goalie Cleo Troy, setting off a celebration among her teammates. This win came on the heels of a 1-0 victory at St. Mark’s on Saturday, also in overtime.
Melia’s goal capped off a dominant overtime for the Pandas (9-0). They had all of the chances, including a previous shot by Sherman, this time with Melia providing the feed, that Cleo kicked out. Another shot from Padua went wide.
Melia was involved with the Pandas’ first goal, scored with 17:09 left in the first half. On that one, she took a shot that Katie Buczik got a piece of. Padua scored that one in transition after Ursuline had driven down the field on the previous play. After that goal, the Raiders took control of much of the first half. They had four penalty corners in the latter stages of the half, but could not convert. The final one, in the closing minute, was deflected wide.
Ursuline continued to press as the second half opened. A goal was waved off in the first few minutes because it went in off a player’s leg. Undeterred, the Raiders pushed on, and a minute after the no-goal, they netted the equalizer. After a steal by Janet Schmeusser, Teddie Elliman carried the ball to the top of the circle. Her shot was deflected by Jordan Kenney past Padua goalie Hailey Power, and with 27:07 to go in regulation, the score was tied, 1-1.
It was just the second goal Power and the Pandas had allowed all season. The other came against Middletown in the first game, back on Sept. 9.
The goal seemed to wake up the Pandas, who brought the offensive pressure afterward. A free hit was cleared by the Raiders, and two penalty corners followed. On one sequence, Troy kept the score tied with a great kick save, followed by two more saves. Power responded a few fine saves of her own as the half progressed. Ursuline had one last penalty corner before overtime, but Power was there to block the shot.
The Pandas outshot the Raiders, 15-14, and each team was awarded eight penalty corners. Padua is back in action Monday at 4 p.m. in the second of four consecutive home games. Ursuline, playing far better than its 4-4-1 record would indicate, is at home Thursday at 3:45 against St. Elizabeth.
