Field hockey celebrates 25th year by shutting out Sacred Heart in home opener
Photo Courtesy: Quinnipiac Athletics
September 14, 2019
Highlight by Eric Kerr
Story by Izzy Agricola
In 25 years as a program and 25 years as head coach, Quinnipiac field hockey coach Becca Main has had the same motto: “You’re part of a legacy.” And the Bobcats continued that legacy in their home opener against the Sacred Heart Pioneers.
The Bobcats (1-3) shut out the Pioneers (1-6) 2-0 to continue their now nine game win streak in front of fans and alumni.
The Bobcats get their first win of the season. Hedda Biermann-Ratjen gets a shutout, with Veldhorst and Strubbe tallying goals.
FINAL:
Bobcats 2, Pioneers 0
— izzy agricola (@izzy_agss) September 14, 2019
“We had about five alum here, who were also pretty proud of being here,” Main said of how deep the Quinnipiac field hockey legacy runs. “There’s a legend and a standard [the team] has to live up to.”
Two new Bobcats showed how they’re continuing the legacy with impressive play from freshman goalkeeper Hedda Biermann-Retjan and freshman forward Eva Veldhorst.
“I’ve only been here for a few weeks now, and I feel like I’m a full part of the team,” Biermann-Retjan said after coming off her first career start and shutout. “The defenders and I, and every player on the field, gets our communication straight.”
Veldhorst kept things up on the other end of the field with her first career goal to get the Bobcats up by two. Veldhorst had to work through the Pioneers’ strong defense, with goalkeeper Hailey Power posting 11 saves.
“Sacred Heart likes to player mark, so they mark up everybody. And that’s really odd,” Main said. “Today we had to be a put-the-ball-into-space team, and I’m very proud of how they adjusted because that’s not our style.”
Quinnipiac’s other goal came from graduate midfielder Bianka Strubbe off a penalty stroke. The Bobcats had nine penalty corners, with the Pioneers getting six.
“If we don’t get one in [off a penalty corner], then we try for the next,” sophomore defender Jess Halley said of how the team works when they have a lot of penalty corners. “We see what didn’t work for the first one and change our style of play.”
Halley tallied an assist on Veldhorst’s goal.
“Twenty-six players and all of the coaches got something done here,” Main said of the win, showing the team mentality that the program has stuck with for its 25 year history.
The Bobcats travel to Long Island on Monday to take on the Hofstra Pride (1-4).
