Through nine games, Montclair State University field hockey has shown their fight but they have been on the wrong end of many close games, including last week vs Lebanon Valley College. The Red Hawks lost a heart breaker in double overtime to the Dutchwomen with a final score of 2-1 which put the Red Hawks at 4-5.
Junior defender/midfielder Kylie Compton reflected on what the Red Hawks can take from this game and improve upon for the rest of the season.
“Something that we just talked about was we’re heading into NJACs in about two weeks and we can’t wait to show up and decide to play in the third and fourth quarter and force an overtime,” Compton said. “We need to show up from the very first whistle and play 60 full minutes and win the game in 60 minutes and be done.”
During the first quarter, Lebanon Valley controlled most of the possession and shot six times compared to only one shot by the Red Hawks. The Dutchwomen scored a goal with about four minutes left in the first quarter and led after one. Montclair State goalkeeper McKenna Laman kept the Red Hawks alive with four saves through the first 15 minutes.
Montclair State scored one goal during the game and had a total of 13 shots. The lone goal for the Red Hawks came from a rebound after a shot from sophomore midfielder Sadie Eichlin to which Compton finished. Eichlin led the team in total shots with four.
Junior midfielder Kylie Compton showing the emotions after scoring early on. Photo courtesy of Trevor Giesberg
Much of the second half saw great defensive presence from both sides. Senior forward Carlie Van Tassel and Compton both saw big chances get stopped by the opposing goalkeeper which kept the game level.
Montclair State found the only two shots in the fourth quarter and two in the first over time but they could not capitalize. Lebanon Valley put an end to the night just one minute into the second over time after senior Sorrel Long converted from the penalty spot.
For the Red Hawks, it was a frustrating one to drop considering the amount of chances they created along with their stout defensive play.
Tori Sutera and Kylie Compton talking things over with the Montclair State staff. Photo courtesy of Trevor Giesberg
Heading into extra time, Montclair State was fired up according to Compton.
“Into overtime, we were really fired up,” Compton said. “We were pretty mad at LVC and the refs so we wanted to just go into overtime and we really wanted to just get the ball and put it in the net, in the right, in the first two minutes,” Compton said. “Again, unfortunately, that didn’t happen, but that was our mindset. We were like let’s go, we’re ending this so we can be done with the game and walk away with the win.”
Even in games where the scoring is tough, these Red Hawks keep the energy high among each other constantly.
“Yeah, we’re really trying to focus on energy,” Compton said. “Sometimes during practice, it’s really low, so we really try to go in groups. So, like as a unit on the defensive corner unit, before every corner, we’re like let’s go, we got this! We do the same thing on attacking corners, before every, like, restart, after a goals scored, after we score a goal. We really just try to come together and, like, hype each other up, be like we got this, let’s go and like keep the energy flowing high. It’s been something that we’ve really been trying to work on and it’s still improving this season.”
