As Boston College field hockey (2-4, 0-4 Atlantic Coast) defender Sky Caron surveyed her passing options up the field, a face bearing a striking resemblance to her own stared back at her. That was, of course, the face of her twin sister, No. 4 New Hampshire (2-1) forward Finn Caron. Perhaps knowing her opponent so well worked in her favor, as BC’s Caron lasered a deceptive pass up through the midfield and sent her teammates on an offensive opportunity.
Sky was the stalwart for the Eagles’ defense that held UNH to a mere nine shots on the game, compared to BC’s 26. The normally potent offensive talents of her sister were held to a minimum, as she did not record a shot.
BC downed the Wildcats 2-0 at home to earn its second win of this unique spring season. Coming off a tough loss to Wake Forest the week prior in which the Demon Deacons held them scoreless, the Eagles got off to a hot start after their first shot of the game landed in the back of the net.
Just five minutes into the contest, Jaime Natale showcased her speed on a breakaway and neatly slotted a shot past UNH goaltender Jemma Woods. BC carried its momentum throughout the rest of the first quarter, as five different Eagles combined for eight shots to put the Wildcats back on their heels.
Up front, the Eagles were missing veteran offensive contributors Nell Webber and Maddy Dorn, but freshman Emily Hauck picked up the slack subbing in at right forward and earned a shot early in the third period.
UNH came out with renewed energy in the second quarter but could not solve the lockdown BC defensive unit. Darcy Clement and Fusine Govaert each recorded a defensive save, making light work for goaltender Jonna Kennedy, whose five saves on the game were all the Eagles needed to take down the Wildcats.
The turning point in the game came midway through the second quarter, after Kennedy found herself out of position in front of two Wildcat forwards. Just before the would-be equalizer trickled over the goal line, Govaert swooped in and knocked the ball out of the circle, preserving the Eagles’ lead. As the epitome of a two-way midfielder, Govaert’s electrifying save catalyzed a 26-minute-long stretch in which the Wildcats did not record a shot.
The Eagles extended their lead with five minutes left in the third quarter, when Elizabeth Warner received a Margo Carlin pass in front of the net and snuck a shot past Woods. Despite their dominant performance in Friday’s game, the Eagles are left searching for answers on penalty corners, as they were unable to score on any of their 14 opportunities.
Featured Image by Nicole Vagra / Heights Staff
