http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20120905/SPORTS02/709059899
Published September 5, 2012 in the Rutland Herald
Raiders romp over Cosmos
By POODY WALSH
CORRESPONDENT
SPRINGFIELD — Before the game there was some talk about the grass being a bit high and damp: that maybe it would be difficult moving the ball around. Whatever difficulties that were talked about had no affect on Rutland as the Raiders moved up and down the field with no problems, winning 5-0 over Springfield in a Marble Valley League field hockey game at Michelle Porter Field Tuesday afternoon.
It was the season opener for both teams.
Rutland is coming off a season that saw the Raiders moved deep into the tournament and from that team a year ago coach April Cioffi figures she has about half of them back.
Meanwhile Springfield has some serious numbers issues as they have no junior varsity team and just one senior. “We didn’t even have a preseason scrimmage,” said Springfield coach Mindy Hathorn. “We had one scheduled with Stevens but had to cancel because we had just nine players on the day we were supposed to play.
“On top of that Rutland is a good division I team and we’re Division II. She (Cioffi) was talking about having just 34 players out. We should have such problems in Springfield.”
Some other numbers indicated just how dominant Rutland was as the Raiders had 13-0 edge in shots and 11-5 in corners.
“As usual we have to work on the offense,” said Hathorn. “It’s the same every year.”
What is also the same every year is the solid goalkeeping by Springfield’s Erin Chlebak: “We’re blessed to have her,” said Hathorn. “She’s solid.” Chlebak has 12 saves.
Seniors Brittney Pelkey and Jenna Keith paced the Rutland offense. Pelkey, blessed with long arms that she used well to score both of her goals, got offensive help from Keith, who had a goal and an assist.
Rutland score twice in the first half and three times in the second. The Raiders also had a bunch of other chances that were thwarted by Chlebak.
At the start of the game it looked like the field conditions were slowing down play, but once the Raiders got their offense in gear the goals started coming.
The game was seven minutes old when the Raiders scored the only goal they would need as Pelkey snaked the ball past Chlebak who, had done a good job kicking out two early shots, but Keith was able to make a short pass to Pelkey and it was 1-0. Two minutes later it was junior Caitlin Hanley scoring on a rebound to make it 2-0, a score that would hold until the half.
In the second half the Raiders scored three more times as sophomore Catherine DiPalma found the back of the box. Then it was Keith and finally Pelkey wrapped up the scoring for the day with a sweeping shot from 10 yards out.
Cioffi said that “We played well, but there are always things we have to work on.”
What concerned Cioffi the most was the left-side offense, “We have to got the ball over the other side of the field,” said Cioffi. She said she certainly couldn’t find any fault with the defense which didn’t allow a shot on keeper Abby Lancour.
“Our defense was really good,” said Cioffi.
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