SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — The Tiger field hockey team opened the 2010-11 athletics season at Wittenberg with plenty of defense, but dropped the decision 2-0 against visiting DePauw Wednesday night at Edwards-Maurer Field. The opener also marked the debut of new Wittenberg head coach Kelley Hubbell.
The DePauw Tigers averaged precisely two goals per game in 2009 and were par for the course in the season opener, striking twice against the Wittenberg defense and junior goalkeeper Jenny Schaafsma (Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids). DePauw's scoring total still marks an improvement for the Wittenberg defensive unit, which allowed an average of two and a half goals per game in 2009.
DePauw scored one goal in each half on 17 total shots. Schaafsma made six saves to keep the visitors in check, while the Wittenberg offense posted seven shots, five of them turned away by DePauw goalie Liz Attewell.
Play in the first half was smooth and clean, as neither team drew any penalty corners. The second period saw seven penalty corners for DePauw and two for Wittenberg. DePauw benefitted from one defensive save.
Junior forward Elizabeth Dwyer (St. Louis, Mo./Ladue) paced the Wittenberg offense with three shots, followed by senior forward Tori Casanta (Mason, Ohio/Cor Jesu Academy) with two. Senior forward Boo Vernon (Lake Bluff, Ill./Cushing Academy) and senior defender Kelley Herde (Louisville, Ky./Assumption) each tallied one shot.
The Tigers hit the road for their next contest, visiting Sweet Briar in Virginia for a Sunday, Sept. 5 game, starting at 11 a.m.