The Bryn Mawr field hockey team felt it had the ability to go all the way in last year?s Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference playoffs. The Mawrtians appeared well on their way after jumping out to a 2-0 lead before St. Mary?s scored three times in the second half in a 3-2 upset win in the semifinals.
That game was on the minds of both teams as they faced off Tuesday for the first time since that playoff contest last fall. This time, Bryn Mawr jumped out to an early lead and made it stick, coming away with a 1-0 win in Baltimore to improve to 3-0.
Sarah Cole scored the game?s lone goal with 18:11 remaining in the first half. There was little offense from either team after that, as both midfields played solid defense and allowed very few penalty-corner opportunities. Bryn Mawr had two penalty-corner chances, while St. Mary?s (1-3) finished with just one.
“This game seemed to be played between the 25s,” Bryn Mawr coach Jeanette Budzik said. “Every team in this league is strong, so every time you come away with a win, it?s a good feeling.”
Budzik praised the play of a number of her players, including Cole and Allie Emala, who definitely wanted to make a statement by beating the team that eliminated them from the playoffs last season. Prior to the playoffs, St. Mary?s had won just three league contests.
“Last year?s loss definitely motivated us,” said Emala,who scored one of Bryn Mawr?s goals in the teams? last meeting. “We tried to concentrate more on defense to make sure they stayed out of the shooting circle.”
Besides the final score, both teams finished the contest with nearly identical statistics. St. Mary?s held a 9-8 shot-on-goal advantage, while Mawrtian goalie Abby Bisbee finished with five saves, compared to three for Saints keeper Anne Callahan.
“We?ve still got work to do, but I felt we played a good game today,” St. Mary?s coach Ann Andrews said. “We have a lot of the season to get through, and we?re not going to let this loss get us down.”
