NEWS

The ‘Cats celebrate their first goal against Richmond.

DAVIDSON — Three goals in the first 7:21 set the tone for the Davidson field hockey team in a 6-1 win over Lindenwood Sunday afternoon at Carol Grotnes Belk Turf Field.

Abby Pompeo scored the first two of those goals, helping the Wildcats improve to 3-5. With the loss, Lindenwood fell to 1-4.

“It is always a pleasure to defend your own turf, and to do it today in a way that included first career goals for two on our team as well as minutes contributed by every field player and two goalkeepers, that feels really special,” said Davidson coach Zoe Almquist.

Pompeo struck just 1:17 into the game off an assist from Matilda Collins, following a Wildcats penalty corner. Then, 4:12 later, Pompeo scored off a rebound. By the time Collins scored at the 7:21 mark, the Wildcats were well on their way. Ava Mickel’s second-quarter goal, the first of her career, made it 4-0 at the break.

Davidson added two goals in the third, first when Celie Constantine scored off a Hannah Merritt assist and then when Liv Goeke scored her first college goal off a rebound.

Pompeo now leads Davidson with five goals. She also scored two in the Sept. 1 win over Queens.

The Wildcats finished with a 25-9 advantage in shots, including 15-5 on shots-on-goal, and had a 6-4 edge in penalty corners.

Cato Roell made three saves in goal.

Weekend opener

The ‘Cats decisive win on Sunday came on the heels of Friday night’s Atlantic 10 field hockey opener. That game had a little bit of everything: an early Davidson lead, a late Wildcat equalizer and late-season intensity between league foes.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, the night also had some overtime heartbreak, as Richmond emerged with a 3-2 win.

It’s the third overtime contest the Wildcats, now 2-5, have played this year. Richmond improved to 4-3.

The game-winner came following a yellow card and subsequent penalty corner and was off the stick of Alexa Derr with 6:44 left in the first overtime period.

To even the score and force overtime, Davidson’s Macy Curtis scored off an assist from Matilda Collins with 13:28 left in regulation.

The teams played to a 1-1 tie through the first half, with the Wildcats’ goal coming from Collins early in the second quarter, this time with Curtis assisting. Richmond evened the score on an Alexandria Lavelle penalty stroke 3:58 before the half, then moved ahead 2-1 in the third quarter with a Charly Faherty goal.