One of the reasons I love team sports, is because it develops and demonstrates the ability to overcome collectively, obstacles to success. The process of working as team rather than an individual emphasizes the importance of shared responsibility. As an individual you use your talents and efforts to enhance the completion of a shared goal. Yesterday was one of the those moments. When Lafayette needed something, an individual would make a play that seemed to lift the whole enterprise. Was this a game where you look at its result and marvel how we dominated, no. But it was a game where someone on the field came through when needed. Ami Turner’s marvelous deflection of an Amanda Madagan assist three minutes and twenty two seconds into overtime was the end product of a number outstanding individual efforts during the previous 70 minutes.
First, the Leopards had to overcome a number of obstacles to get to that moment, 73 minutes after the opening whistle. Thursday’s 7 or 8 hour bus ride was reason enough to drain any normal athlete. The Leopards were delayed an hour in Easton leaving at 7:30 pm and arriving after encountering several construction obstacles along the way. On to bed at later than 2 am is not exactly in a training regime for success. Fortunately, the game was to start at 4 pm leaving enough time for rest, but barely enough time to get rest and get a solitary run through early.
The clouds were more than figurative as a series of thunderstorms rolled in over the Farmville area and both fans and players were frustrated with a series of 1/2 hour delays after local lighting strikes. The delay and the bus ride seemed to have taken its toll as Lafayette seemed to be playing flat footed giving up some early turnovers, which resulted in a score for the Lancers only 5 minutes after the opening push off. Longwood’s Hollie MacDonald took a Jennifer Burris rebound finding space and delivered a shot putting the Lancers ahead. It was to take ten minutes before the Leopards were to answer with a goal of the own off a corner. Amanda Magadan, who was instrumental all day moving the ball between sides and setting up shots for her teammates, delivered a tying goal using an Aliza Furneaux and Ellen Colbourne assist.
Nearly 12 minutes after a scramble in front of the goal during another corner, Kirby Szalkowski took advantage of a loose ball while going to her knees and delivered with a strike to the back of the net putting the Leopards ahead. In less than a minute Edel Nyland of the Lancers delivered one of her own into the Leopard net,unassisted knotting the score at two. The teams were to leave the field tied but contributing to the angst of Leopard fans, Longwood led in shots 8-4, and seemed to be spending intolerable time in Lafayette’s side of the field.
Both teams came out renewed for battle but it was Longwood that was to find the back of goal first, six minutes in as Jennifer Burris was to add an unassisted score to her side of the scoreboard. Leopard fans were searching for a spark when Rosie Shanks came through tying the score at three, with eleven and a half to play in regular time using a Hannah Millen shot which she deflected neatly into the goal.
Tied at three the Leopards had the better of possessions leading up to the Madagan to Turner heroics and the win. The Leopards were to have 7-2 advantage in shots in the second and overtime periods as well as a 4-2 edge in penalty corners.
Now,on to a very talented Liberty team in a a battle to leave the field tomorrow unbeaten. As to Longwood’s effort and skill. This was a very entertaining game and Longwood is better than their record would indicate.
Lafayette College Field Hockey 