NEWS
Field Hockey Rallies, Defeats Hoyas 3-2 in Season Opener
Davidson Field Hockey in a prior season home game against Georgetown.
TOWSON, MD. — The Davidson field hockey team overcame a two-goal deficit and held off a late Georgetown threat to earn a 3-2 season-opening win Friday afternoon.
It’s the second straight season the Wildcats have earned a one-goal win over the Hoyas to start the season.
“Today was a really exciting game and an important lesson in resiliency,” said head coach Zoe Almquist. “After going down 2-0 in the first quarter, to score three unanswered goals and then hold on when Georgetown made a last-quarter push was really a testament to how much we are willing to lean on each other and believe in ourselves and each other.”
The difference Friday came when Hannah Merritt converted a penalty stroke at the 41-minute mark. It was set up when Sib Naaktgeboren drew a foul on a breakaway.
Naaktgeboren scored the 2-2 equalizer on an earlier breakaway, striking 1:12 before halftime. It was the Wildcats’ second goal in less than five minutes, after Sarah Minges’ goal got the Wildcats on the board at the 24:11 mark.
The Hoyas provided quite a challenge, said Almquist.
“Credit to Georgetown’s forwards,” she said. “They were very fast. Our backs made some really amazing adjustments after the first quarter to stay with them.”