ALLENTOWN, Pa. – New conference, same result. The St. Mary's College of Maryland field hockey team secured their fourth consecutive undefeated conference season as well their fourth straight conference regular-season championship title. The first three titles came in the Atlantic East Conference but this year, St. Mary's College ran the table in the United East Conference.
The Seahawks (8-10, 5-0 UEC) locked up the No. 1 seed in the upcoming United East Championship Tournament with a 6-0 road win over Cedar Crest College (4-13, 1-4 UEC) Saturday afternoon (Oct. 26). SMCM now owns a 22-0 league record since 2021 with its last conference loss coming in the Capital Athletic Conference on Oct. 30, 2019 – a 1-0 loss to Christopher Newport University.
St. Mary's College will now take on fourth-seeded Penn State Harrisburg (9-6, 2-3 UEC) on Saturday, Nov. 2, in the United East semifinals. During the regular season, the Seahawks needed overtime to defeat Harrisburg, 1-0, in Middletown, Pa., on Oct. 12.
How It Happened
- SMCM claimed a 1-0 lead in the first quarter when junior forward Brenna Ziegler (Newark, Del./Newark Charter) scored on the team's fourth penalty corner of the game. Graduate midfielder Anna Eaton (Silver Spring, Md./Blake) inserted the ball up to senior captain Charlotte Horn (Schnecksville, Md./Northwestern Lehigh), who found Ziegler for the goal at 10:00.
- St. Mary's College tacked on three goals in the second period within a four-minute span to head into halftime with a 4-0 advantage. Ziegler notched her second of the afternoon and dished out an assist while junior forward Emma Watkins (Frederick, Md./Linganore) scored twice.
- The Seahawks stretched their lead to 5-0 in the third frame when sophomore forward Elena Pasko (New Freedom, Pa./Susquehannock) finished off a pass from junior defender Jena Vanskiver (Fallston, Md./Fallston) at 34:35.
- Junior midfielder Josie Shermeyer (Harrisburg, Pa./East Pennsboro Area) notched the final goal with two minutes left in the game.
Inside the Box Score
- SMCM finished the game with a 28-2 (23-0 on goal) shot advantage and a 14-0 margin in penalty corners.
St. Mary's College
- Shermeyer paced the Seahawks with seven shots (five on goal).
- Ziegler led the way with two goals and an assist while Vanskiver dished out two assists.
- Goalkeepers Sophia Kent (Chesterville, Md./Gunston), Caroline McDonald (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora), and Kaley Christman (Jefferson, Md./Brunswick) combined for the team's seventh shutout of the season.
Cedar Crest
- Shelby Heater made 17 stops for the Falcons.
Up Next for the Seahawks
- Nov. 2 vs. Penn State Harrisburg (9-6, 2-3 UEC) – St. Mary's City, Md. (JLR Stadium) – TBD
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