The Saline Hornets field hockey team fell at home to the Mercy Marlins 1-0. The Marlins jumped ahead early while Saline was scrambling to get organized and the Hornets were unable to draw even.
“The first 15 minutes of any game, they seem to need to calm down. They’re trying to gauge how the other team plays, then they adjust and go to town. We need to come out fast and play our game,” said head coach Donald Hes.
Saline got off to a slow start as they attempted to get a feel for their opponent’s game plan. That anxious beginning allowed Mercy to get quick pressure and put the game’s only goal in net less than two minutes into the game. After the initial outpouring, Saline’s defense buckled down and prohibited further damage.
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Offensively, the team had issues possessing the ball early. Passing between teammates was erratic, and the Hornets were prone to keeping their sticks high and letting the ball out of their grasp.
“[The team] wasn’t getting low enough. You could see later in the game, the girls were getting lower, getting their sticks flat on the ground. It gives you a bigger stopping area to make contact with the ball,” said Hes.
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The second half saw a turn-around in the Hornets. The team poured on the offensive pressure, keeping Mercy on their heels for the majority of the half. With 19:50 left, it looked like Saline tied up the game on a shot by Alli Cope off a corner play. The goal was waived by the referees, who said the ball travelled too high before being touched by a defender. Saline’s offensive outpouring was not over, but the team did not get that close to scoring again. The game ended with the early first half goal as the only tally.
The junior varsity also fell 1-0 in the early game of the evening.
