Big start lifts Wiltse, Panthers over Braves

Junior scores twice as field hockey team prevails in season-opener

Friday, Sept. 11, 2009

The Panthers (1-0, 1-0 SMAC) scored the first four goals of the game, three in the first half, and cruised to the victory in both teams' season openers.

"Going two weeks now and wondering what they were going to do when they walked on the field, this was a good show for at least that," Powell said. "We're still trying to find our strengths. We have a lot of forwards, so we were just trying to move some things around. We kind of got hurt by it [at times], but it's a learning experience."

"I think we played with a lot of intensity," Patuxent senior Claire Ganoe said. "What I think we need to work on is talking more and really being there for the double teams. But other than that, I thought we were on point."

Powell said she was happy that Chopticon (0-1, 0-1), which always plays the Panthers tough, is out of the way.

"Mmm-hmm," she said.

Chopticon head coach Anne Vallandingham felt the same way.

"It doesn't matter when you face Patuxent," she said. "I probably would have liked two or three games under my belt, but now Patuxent's done and we move on to the rest of the conference and the rest of the region. We don't face them again, so good luck with the rest of their season and their [2A South] regional play."

Patuxent opened the scoring when junior Taylor Courtney slammed home a shot at the nine-minute mark of the first half.

"It's very important [to score first]," Ganoe said. "because whoever scores the point first has the momentum and keeps the momentum throughout the game."

"Our first goal really started us off on more goals for the rest of the game," said senior Erica Wiltse. "Once we got the first one, it just kept piling on."

And it was Wiltse who started piling them on as she netted the next two goals.

"I felt comfortable and I just really wanted to score really bad," she said.

The Panthers picked up their final goal when freshman Lydia Lorenson finished off after some good pressure in front of the Chopticon cage at 21 minutes 30 seconds of the second half.

The Braves spoiled Becca Portillo's shutout bid when Nikki Downs scored off a fast break less than two minutes later.

"We're adjusting and making due, but we weren't going to let them have a shutout on us," Vallandingham said. "I've got a gritty team. It's early in the season and Patuxent's always a tough go."

Chopticon senior goalie Tracey Bowles made 14 saves, including 13 over the second half while being inundated by Patuxent's relentless offense. But she allowed just one goal.

"That's what we always like to do, score early and stay up," Powell said. "I wasn't really particularly happy with our second half and the fact that we only scored one goal."

Patuxent had 12 penalty corners, including nine in the second half, and also hit two posts. The Braves had five penalty corners, all in the first half.

"I was happy with the way we played. We just couldn't get it to fall in the cage and that happens sometimes," Powell said. "I would rather it happen when you're up by a couple of goals rather than any other time. We had a lot of pressure in the circle and learned a lot from it."

Vallandingham said she learned her team is a deep one.

"We moved some people around [and] there is depth," she said. "We just have to adjust it and work our flow."

"I just think we need to talk more," Ganoe said of her team's first game, "but as a team I think we were there for each other."

Wiltse added: "It was a good accomplishment for our first game. It's a new season and a new team, so we just start fresh and hope for the best."

mreid@somdnews.com