PURCHASE N.Y. – The Manhattanville College field hockey team hosted Cedar Crest College in its first home game of the season today, Sept. 7. The Valiants secured a 3-1 win over the Falcons, improving their record to 3-0. This is the first time since 2011 the program has opened the season 3-0.
Following a back and forth first quarter, the Valiants (3-0) entered the second with an offensive mindset. Early on, seniors
Robin Boot (Bedum, Netherlands/H.N. Werkman College) and
Ameerah Thomas (Norfolk, Va./Granby) each took shots attempting to put Manhattanville ahead. Both shots, as well as one from junior
Arnise King (Wilmington, Del./Concord) were saved by Cedar Crest (0-4) goalie Emma Ryan. After previously being shut down, Thomas received a pass at the top of the circle, dribbled it in and reverse swept it past Ryan scoring the first goal of the day.
Responding to Thomas' goal in the third, Falcons Kiley Marone, Alexx Miller and Samantha Johnson took shots on goal. Sophomore
Zoe Fillebrown (Nashua, N.H./Nashua North) was able to save all three, including an additional fourth from Marone. Minutes later Miller was able to get her next shot past Fillebrown tying the score 1-1.
The Falcons attempted to pull ahead in the third when Marone took a shot that hit the post and Alexandra Arabio then got the rebound. Her shot was stoped by a defensive save from sophomore
Raquel Brown (Claymont, Del./Brandywine). Following the push out from Brown, the Valiants were given a penalty corner. Freshman
Ava Panzer (Pawling, N.Y./Pawling) took the corner and passed it to Thomas, who then drove the ball past the Falcons' keeper sinking her shot low right. This was Thomas' second goal of the game and fourth of the season.
In the final six minutes, sophomore
Lexi Crites (Middleboro, Mass./Kents Hill School) took the final corner of the game. She passed it to Boot, who then drove the ball but had her shot stopped. Crites ran after the rebound, took a shot of her own and scored.
The Valiants will travel tomorrow, Sept. 8, to play Roger Williams University at 1:00 p.m. in Bristol, R.I.
