The Edith Robb Dixon Field was covered in a sea of pink today as the Cavaliers field hockey team took on Marywood University in a battle for second place in the conference. Last year the Cavaliers were able to advance to their eighth consecutive CSAC championship game by beating the Marywood Pacers. Cabrini and Marywood were both 3-1 coming into today’s game so the stakes were especially high and the tension was in the air.
The Oct. 19 game was the annual Play for the Cure game where proceeds went to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Team in Training Program in memory of coach Mitch Kline. Kline was a former softball coach here at Cabrini, however Sept. 15, 2016 he lost his battle to cancer. They also honored the Seniors Kylie McDevitt and Taylor Mack. Mack also plays softball and was lucky enough to play for Kline.
The Cavaliers were coming off of a three game winning streak and were excited to get the game started. Katelyn Heck, a freshman, had her parents Mike and Lisa along with little brother Kyle in the stands cheering the team on. With five minutes left in the first period Cabrini fans cheered as they thought they finally were able to connect to score a goal. However, they were outside the circle and the first period ended scoreless.
“We need to get shots on goal,” Lisa Heck said.
That is just what the Cavs players did starting the second half. Less than three minutes into the second, Mack scored from an assist from junior forward Alex Swallow to put the Cavs on top. Around the 42 minute mark, Mack managed to score again, this time with the assist coming from junior forward Sara Johnsen. Tension began to spill from the field into the stands.
Conflict between a Marywood mother and a Cabrini father, where words were exchanged yet peace was eventually resolved and both went back to the better action on the field. Jackie Neary dribbled through 20 yards past all the Pacers putting them up by three. Cabrini’s goalkeeper, Taylor Bookman, made an incredible save to keep the shutout alive. However, Gabbie Bower of Marywood scored giving the Pacers a bit of hope. The Cavs didn’t allow the Pacers to come back as the game ended with a 3-1 victory for Cabrini.
Cabrini head coach Jackie Neary knew that this game wasn’t going to be easy making sure the girls aware that Marywood was dangerous.
“We don’t want to fear them but you want to respect them,” Neary said. “The girls kept it in check you could tell it wasn’t going to be a game that would fell on your lap, you had to work hard.”
Cabrini out-shot Marywood 7-5 and had nine penalty corners compared to the Pacers six. Bookman played all 70 minutes of the game and finished. two saves
Neary believed while they did work hard she would like to get more re-defending interceptions for future games as the season is winding down. The first half she wasn’t nervous that they did not score because she knew it wasn’t going to be easy. She was being realistic and happy that they were able maintain possession.
“Our seniors, they are the ones that feel that sense of urgency knowing that the season is winding down, so I think they are trying to impose that on the whole team that ‘we gotta work hard to stay alive’ so senior leadership,” Neary said.
Mack laughs off her success today stating it would be nothing without them getting her the ball.
“I’m not much of a point person, I would never get those points without Sara Johnson and Alex Swallow they did all the work I just kind of was there.”
Mack leads the team with 37 points, 14 goals and nine assists. Going forward she wants to stay healthy being injury prone.
“Keep pushing myself, don’t settle for what has happen but, push to what can happen,” Mack said.
She believed there was more pressure for the game not only for what it represented, but also because it is the team’s last home game.
“I want to end on a good note,” Mack said. “let us control our destiny.”
The Cavaliers have clinched second place as the season is winding down. They were able to continue their winning streak to four games as they prepare for their next game. On Saturday Oct. 22 at 12 noon Cabrini plays away at Notre Dame of Maryland University.
“It’s a game we need to keep staying focused and just keep going with what we have and just keep doing better,” Mack said.
