This piece was submitted by Julia May (10, J&C). 

Last night, Manual field hockey’s junior varsity team beat Assumption at home after a strong defensive game.

Although Manual’s previous face-off with the Rockets during the apple tournament semifinals resulted in a 1-0 loss, the Crimsons turned the score around and struck back despite 9 defensive corners by Assumption. This is just the second loss of the season for the Rockets.

The Rockets earned themselves two corners throughout the period, but neither resulted in a goal. Summer Carroll (#31, 11), Kendall Geller (#60, 10), Caroline Toler (#24, 11), and goalie Shelby Young (#91, 11) lead the Crimsons’ defense.

At the end of the first quarter, the scoreboard read 0-0. The Crimsons visited the sideline and returned to the field with a renewed sense of urgency. 

The second quarter proved to be much of the same, a corner for each team, and two unsuccessful shots on goal by the Rockets. However, after multiple runs down field, Taylor Clark (#11, 11) managed to send the ball towards an Assumption player’s foot, earning the Crimsons a corner.

With less than six minutes to the half, Victoria Drepaul (HSU, #40) sent the ball to Clark, who scored off a hard shot to the left side of the backboard corner shot, causing fans, teammates and coaches alike to celebrate. 

“I honestly just didn’t think about it at all and I just shot it in,” Clark said. “That was the first time I have ever scored on a corner, which is really exciting.” Due to Clark’s goal, the scoreboard read 1-0, with the Crimsons in the lead. 

After halftime, the Crimsons had only two shots on goal, the half was filled with clears by Carroll and Geller and breakaway runs by Ellie Neil (#6, 11).

However, the Rockets did not fold despite being down for the entirety of the half. At least eighty percent of the second 24 minutes were spent on their offensive half and the Rockets earned themselves five corners, which were added into their game total of nine. 

JV tops Assumption 1-0 at home tonight!! @ManualAthletics @ManualSportsMed

— Manual Field Hockey (@manualfh) September 21, 2021

“It was a really good defensive game. We had a lot of good clears and there were a lot of defensive corners, but they couldn’t score on any of them. Defense had grit and worked really hard,” Geller said. She also mentions that the Crimsons were determined not to let any ball into the cage, which proved successful. 

At the end of the final quarter, the Crimsons successfully defended the Rockets ninth corner. The team cheered, rushing towards the goal keeper and defensive team that had just managed to shut out the Rockets. 

Head coach and Manual alum Joan Matthews (2014), addressed her team after the game, optimistic about their performance. “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard,” coach Matthews said. Overall, last night resulted with a Manual JV field hockey team win. 

The JV Crimsons game against Ballard on Thursday was canceled due to a YPAS concert.