Mustangs take advantage early

C. Milton Wright captures division championship, scoring on two corners

Sparked by a pair of first-half goals, five minutes apart, C. Milton Wright claimed the Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference Chesapeake Division field hockey title, 2-1, over host North Harford on Wednesday night.

The No. 4 Mustangs (9-1 overall, 5-1 UCBAC) edged No. 12 North Harford (11-1, 5-1) with both goals coming off corner opportunities, the first two-of-six corners the Mustangs had. The first came just 5:55 into the game. Olivia Hennessey provided the goal with assist from Annie Keele.

The next corner, five minutes later, led to the second goal. Taylor Marchetti tallied the goal with Georgia Beachley assisting.

“We did a really good job of pulling their defense out and then passing it around them and I was wide open for the push-pass on the opposite side,” Marchetti said. “So, it was a good passing game.”

With under 10 minutes to play in the half. North Harford had one of its better scoring chances, but Mustangs goalie Finley Moreland (five saves) turned away one shot, while defender Ellie Muffley turned away another.

The Hawks then had a pair of corners in the final1:40, but neither opportunity lended to a really good shot. The Mustangs defense had much to do with that.

Our defense, we play really well together, we are communicating real well and we were talking a lot which helps with marks and stuff like that,” Marchetti said.

The Mustangs were dealt a 5-minute, player down penalty just minutes into the second half, but the Hawks could not capitalize. Moments after the penalty was up, Brooke Ciampaglio took a ball into the circle, only to be stopped by Marchetti.

With 3:35 left, North Harford finally broke through. Off a corner, Kelsie Collier was able to get a shot and put it in the back off the cage.

The Hawks had two more corner chances in the final 90 seconds, but they could not come up with the tying goal.

“I think we played really good.. That was one of our best games and we stuck it out. We didn’t give up,” Hawks senior Ariel Limpert said. “We stayed determined to the last second. We are still trying to get it in there.”

Hawks goalie Julia Foster finished with four saves.