Field hockey ends season

ROBERT KALLWASS STAFF WRITER

RHK722@CABRINI

EDU

Cabrini women’s field hockey team drops out of Pennsylvania Athletic Conference championships in first round to Gwynedd-Mercy College. The game had been scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 27 at Gwyned-Mercy, but due to bad weather conditions it was moved to Sunday, Oct. 28 at 4 p.m. This was the first game in the championship, and the loss for Cabrini has knocked them out for the season.

The Cabrini Cavaliers had a strong start with a goal by freshman Desiree Umosella after seven minutes 16 seconds into the first half. Only minutes after Cabrini’s opening goal, the Gwynedd-mercy Griffins evened the game with a goal by sophomore Rebecca Unangst. In the 22nd minute, Cabrini sophomore Bridgette Bergen scored the third goal of the game, putting the Cavaliers ahead, a lead which they held for the remaining first half.

Going into the second half, the Griffins made quick work to catch up with the

Cavaliers with a goal scored by GwyneddMercy junior Erin Reedy. The match was was at a stalemate for the rest of the half, forcing the game into overtime.

In the 73rd minute, Unangst took the ball past the fallen defender and shot it past goalie Caitlin Donahue, winning the game in over time and taking the Griffins into the next round of the PAC championship.

“We didn’t give up. I think we gave them such a fight!” Umosella said, “We played with heart, such a talented team.”

“The game was a heart-breaker. Weather played a little hand in the game, our defender slipped near the end of the overtime,” said Cavalier coach Jackie Neary, “I am pleased with our season, but disappointed with the loss so early.”

The Cavaliers ended their season with an 8-12 win/loss rating, and GwyneddMercy moves on to the semi finals round with a current rating of 13-6. This was the 11th consecutive year the Cavaliers made it to the PAC championships.

“We played amazing, and I couldn’t ask for a better group of girls,” Umosella said, “all I can say is ‘Watch you next year!’”

Conference team title. They defeated Gwynedd-Mercy 5-1 which improved their overall record this year to 14-3.

Two of the three doubles matches and all three of the singles matches were won by the Lady Cavs.

The pair of Wilson and DiTaranto took the highest spot with an 8-0 victory over their opponent. Meanwhile Wilson, Simmons and Pontious were the three that swept the singles.

The tennis team returns in action in May when they compete in the NCAA championships.

A first-season junior leads the Cabrini field hockey team in goals. Melissa Benedetti, an exercise science major and mid-field starter for the Lady Cavs, is this issues player of the week.

Benedetti came to Cabrini to play basketball and was hesitant to be a two season athlete although she played field hockey in high school. After watching Cabrini field hockey games the last two years, Benedetti decided she missed it and joined the team as a third year student at Cabrini.

“It took some getting used to (coming back to field hockey) but it was not too difficult getting back into the swing of things,” Benedetti said.

Benedetti has started all 18 games, scored 14 goals with two assists so far this season. She said that the team record reflects much team growth from the beginning of the season. The Lady Cavs rank fifth in the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference with a 6-4 record and an overall 8-10 record.

“I don’t think the team record is too bad. I think it reflects our youth more than anything,” Benedetti said. The number of freshman almost double the amount of upper classman this season.

The Cabrini lower field hockey team did make it into the play-offs with its first post-season game being Saturday, Oct. 27t against Gwynedd-Mercy. “We have a lot of talent on our team and we have a great chance of having a great post season,” Benedetti said.

Benedetti has enjoyed her first year back and is planning on playing next season too. Once this field hockey season is over she jumps right into basketball therefore it gives her little time to think about her expectations for the field hockey team next year.

“Once again I don’t know I haven’t given much thought into it. I just want to get through this season successfully first,” Benedetti said.

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