In a game that featured Lafayette taking 30 shots, the Leopards controlled the space between the 25s dominating play in the offensive part of the field. Towson managed only two shots the whole game, forcing Lafayette captain Kaitlyn Arnold to make only one save in the first shut out of the season for the Maroon and White.
As part of youth hockey day the local young players got a chance to hang with their division one heroes, and were part of the opening ceremonies of the game. They were treated to a game that was dominated on both sides of the field by Lafayette. All that can be said was, there were additional scoring opportunities that the home team could have capitalized on.
Rosa Jonckheer and Coach Stone, in an interview after the game said they would have liked to have seen more scoring. Rosa who scored the opening goal with barely 4 minutes ticked off the game clock was optimistic about the team’s progress so far and was confident that more scoring would be seen in the future, as the team moves forward. Rosa scored off of a penalty corner and was very active the whole game, and was recognized as a threat by Towson. She was marked very closely, in fact, in the second period it appeared she was illegally held by the goalie on one occasion. It was a flagrant and obvious foul. Given it would have been the second foul on the goalie, she certainly would have been ejected.
In any case, Amanda Magadan delivered her strike as the result of an awarded penalty stroke for a violation close into the Towson goal in the second half. It was Amanda’s second goal of the season, and Rosa’s fourth. The game was never in doubt and I would say most fans were fairly comfortable after the second goal by Magadan.
The next several games represent increasing challenges for the Leopards as they will meet Hofstra on Monday at Hofstra, and then return home as they will face the number nine team in the country, and preseason league favorite, Boston University followed by another top twenty team Delaware a week from Sunday. On the positive side of the ledger, I believe we have not seen this team’s best game yet. Next Friday would be a good time to unveil it. There is no doubt the talent is there. However, first things first with a good Hofstra team!!
Both Coach Stone and the team are looking forward to these three games and the challenge it will bring.
Lafayette College Field Hockey 