In the absence of strong public school competition, Maryland field hockey powerhouse Bethesda-Chevy Chase plays private school Holton-Arms each season to get a rare test.
Wednesday afternoon at B-CC however, the Barons used the occasion for target practice.
Going against Holton goalie Sam Nelson, a member of the U-21 national field hockey squad, B-CC aced the test. With two goals off the stick of senior Shay Smith, theBarons rolled, 4-0.
The final score was an accurate indicator of the domination of the inexperienced Barons who earned 14 penalty corners to none for the Panthers and out-shot the beleaguered visitors, 21-1. Nelson (12 saves) flashed some of her best stuff, but it wasn’t nearly enough.
“They have awesome shooters,” said Holton junior Lucy Hayes. “I think we played well and did our best. But we lost a lot of players from last year and going against a team like that, especially early in the year, is tough.”
B-CC (2-1) took the lead 5 minutes, 30 seconds in when senior Kendal Kelly-Yahner scored a pretty transition goal off a feed from junior April Cahill.
“Their goalie is really good,” said Kelly-Yahner. “You can’t just shoot a straight shot at her. We had to move the ball laterally, move the ball around her. That’s how I scored my goal.”
B-CC pulled away with a corner goal from sophomore Annie Cohen. Later, Smith put the game away with a pair of wicked blasts, six minutes apart, that slammed into the back of the cage.
“We’re young. We only have three or four players back from last year,” said B-CC coach Amy Wood. “Last year’s team was much more talented, but this team is starting to play together well.”
Slap shots
» B-CC will play in the Sally Nyborg Invitational Saturday in Baltimore. The Barons will face St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes and host team Roland Park.
» B-CC has won 13 state titles since 1988, including 10 under Amy Wood who took over in 1994.
» Holton-Arms (2-1) owns wins over St. John’s and Bullis.
