The Cabrini roller-hockey season has started as of two weeks ago. Because of the popularity of the sport, a second team has been added to Cabrini’s roller-hockey club. Cabrini’s teams are named simply Cabrini I and Cabrini II.
Cabrini II roller-hockey team in their inaugural season as a club has been a team full of dedication and commitment. Coming into their game on Monday night with a record of 1-1, they faced their most difficult opponent yet, the White Owls, a team from Villanova.
The team showed signs of maturity in the first half coming out strong and aggressive. They dominated for most of the first half. The defense stepped up to the challenge of the White Owls speed and kept the game close and competitive. Rob Cain, a first year student, played especially well with a great defensive effort even though he usually plays an offensive position.
Along with playing defense the scoring was all Cabrini up until the last two and a half minutes of the first half. Cabrini’s Brad Rink had a hat trick scoring all three of Cabrini’s goals in the first half. However, in the last two minutes of the half, Villanova came back and tied the game 3-3.
The Villanova White Owls came out strong in the second half, going, at one point, on a four goal run against Cabrini. Cabrini’s defensive effort towards the end of the second half picked up; however it wasn’t able to shut down the fast paced and flawless execution of the White Owls. Cabrini lost the game by a score of 10-5, however they kept playing until the final siren sounded.
Rink had an especially great game and led the team in scoring. Rob Cain and first year student, Rob Eshelman added two more goals to Cabrini’s scoring effort. Overall the team showed signs of improvement and maturity and played well with one another. The lost was a tough one for Cabrini II, however the team looked at the game as a learning experience.
“It’s tough. We are still trying to get a feel for each other. We have only played a few games together. It will take time for us to get a better feeling for one another,” Eshleman commented. The talent and experience on the club is varied as well, as on any team. “We have a mix of people on the team, from people who have a lot of experience playing and some with less experience. It will take time a practice to get a feel for how we each play,” Cain said.
One of the vocal leaders on the team, goalie Ethan Peiffer, has played exceptionally well in his position so far this season. However he to realizes that the team has to mold together and has room to improve. “We just have to get used to how each other play. We came out of the gates really fast and strong. We have to try and continue that kind of momentum throughout the entire game,” Peiffer said.
Cabrini II plays Cabrini I next
Sunday night, Nov. 18, at the
Villanova Skate Center at 10 p.m.
