Strong second period propels Villa Maria to win over Unionville

EAST MARLBOROUGH >> Sometimes it takes a while for young teams to gel. Villa Maria, which lost seven starters to graduation last spring, seems to be getting hot at just the right time. Following up a weekend win over Downingtown West, the top ranked team in District 1 Class 3A, the Hurricanes saw four different players score in a convincing 7-2 nonleague field hockey victory over Unionville on Monday afternoon.

Villa Maria’s Tessa Gately battles with Unionville’s Ria Rossman and goalie Julia Baird. (BILL RUDICK for MediaMews Group)

“The girls are all really supportive of one another,” said Villa coach Katie Evans. “It’s been a great environment where girls feel confident and know they can step it up when they need to. It’s a young group growing into a solid team.”
Over the course of the first 15 minutes, the two teams battled back-and-forth about as closely as they could. Neither side was able to get much pressure on the cage, with each team forcing just one penalty corner opportunity, and the game went to the second period in a scoreless tie.
Then Villa (9-5 overall) woke up.
A few minutes into the second period, Villa put together a stretch when they notched three goals in less than three minutes. The first came from Caitlin Connell, with an assist to Caitlin Files. Files followed with an unassisted tally a little over a minute later, then Gia Whalen assisted on a goal from Colby Gannon.

Villa’s Caitlin Connell takes a shot as Unionville’s Rachel Capper defends (BILL RUDICK for MediaMews Group)

“Finally getting on the board was big for us,” said Connell. “It took a lot of passing and working the midfield. Once we got that one in, it made us feel like we needed to get another one quickly and keep building on that lead.”
Whalen, who had a pair of goals on the afternoon, made it 4-0 when she found the back of the cage with 4:30 left to play in the half.
“In the beginning of the season, we were such a young team that we were really just feeling each other out,” said Whalen, who will be taking her talents to the University of Iowa next year. “We’ve been working on team bonding outside the field and field hockey, and we’ve been building tight connections. We’re coming together as a team right now.”

Villa’s Colby Gannon passes a ball past Unionville’s Brooke Phillips (BILL RUDICK for MediaMews Group)

Unionville (8-5) finally got on the board midway through the third, when Molly Main scored unassisted, but Villa answered right back, scoring on a goal from Connell.
Main struck again just before the end of the period to cut the lead to 5-2, but that would be the last gasp for the Longhorns.
The Hurricanes tacked on a pair of fourth-period goals from Erin Mitchell and Viola Diorio to make it a 7-2 final.
Villa outshot the Longhorns by a 16-4 margin, and forced nine corners, to just four for Unionville.

Villa’s Viola Diorio takes a shot as Unionville’s Mickey Impagliazzo defends (BILL RUDICK for MediaMews Group)

“We faced a lot of really tough opponents early in the year,” said Whalen. “The kind of schedule we played helped us learn and grow and build confidence, and it’s made us well prepared for the kind of competition we’ll see in the post season. We’ve been playing really well, and getting a lot of shots on goal from a lot of different players.”
The Hurricanes will get a shot at redemption today, as they will get a rematch with AACA rival Gwynedd Mercy. Villa fell by a score of 3-1 to the Griffins the first time they met this season.
“We’ve taken the attitude that it’s not a wins and losses column, it’s a wins and lessons column,” said Evans. “The schedule allows us to learn the lessons we need to learn in order to succeed in the postseason. I think what you’re seeing is a team coming together in the second half because of the lessons learned early on.”

Villa Maria 7, Unionville 2
Villa Maria 0 4 1 2 – 7
Unionville 0 0 2 0 – 2
Villa Maria goals: Connell 2, Whalen 2, Gannon, Mitchell, Diorio.
Unionville goals: Main 2.
Goalie saves not available.

Leave a Reply