By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
ATLANTIC CITY – Mustang Casey Murray recorded the hat trick in her field hockey team’s 5-3 victory over Atlantic City Wednesday, Oct. 15, and teammate Celena Rivard was all over the field defensively to limit the Vikings’ opportunities.
Mainland improved to 2-2 on the season with the win on the artificial turf at Atlantic City High School.
Murray opened the scoring just over 6 minutes into the game to give Mainland a lead it would not relinquish. Teammate Brooke Albuquerque scored just over a minute into the second quarter with an assist from Arianna Dinofa to make it 2-0.
A minute and a half later, Murray got her second unassisted goal to put the Mustangs up 3-0.
Murray went on to score a third unassisted goal later in the period and Albuquerque, on an assist by Murray, got her second goal in the third period for the win.
The Mustangs led 5-2 until time was running out and an Atlantic City player was able to get behind the defense, come in one-on-one with the Mustang goalie, and score with 1 second left in regulation.
Outside of that last-second breakdown when the win was in hand, the Mustangs showed a solid offense and defense.
“The girls played together as a team even when A.C. started to come back,” coach Jill Hatz said. “We didn’t get off our game. We’re still doing our little things. There was a shift in intensity but I think our girls were playing the game we needed to play. We didn’t crack in that aspect. I’m just really proud of how they played today.”
The coach singled out Rivard for her defensive play.
“She was just having one of those games defensively where she just popped up out of nowhere,” Hatz said. “She doesn’t normally start. We had her in the starting lineup today and just to see her have so much success for the first half and second half; she just had one of the most consistent and best games she’s ever played. We were just excited for her.”
Rivard said it was a team effort that earned the win.
“We played so good because we played as a team and we came in with a mentality of all playing together and not playing as individuals,” Rivard said. “That really worked on the field today.”
She said the players have built a solid rapport with one another. “It’s also fun because outside of field hockey we’re all best friends. We all hang out after practice and we go out to eat and do a lot of team bonding on the weekends,” Rivard said.
She added their “go-to” bonding meals are at Chido Burrito in Northfield and Charlie’s in Somers Point.
Julianna Medina agreed about the go-to meals and playing together as a team.
“It was definitely one of our better games,” Medina said. “ The (artificial) turf is a lot nicer than our field so I think we really connected and had a bunch of nice plays. Everyone touched the ball so it was a good overall team game.”
The teammates chimed in, in unison, that one of their goals coming up is to defeat rival Ocean City on their opponent’s home field. The girls forced overtime against the Red Raiders at Mainland Regional High School, scoring twice in the last 6minutes – including with 30 seconds to go – to tie the game. They lost in overtime, but are hoping for a different result when they meet again at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7.
“We were down 2-0 and scored with 30 seconds left to tie it,” Medina said. “It was crazy.”
As for the rest of the season, Rivard said, “We’re just going to make the best of it considering the circumstances and we hope to have a lot of fun.”
Hatz likes the way her team is playing.
“I’m really excited for what they’re doing,” she said, noting that this season they started with only one scrimmage whereas they usually would have had five to iron out the kinks before preseason ended.
“I think they’re adjusting really quickly, they’re practicing hard, they’re keeping it fun even though we have so much time between games,” Hatz said. “For a season that’s difficult and challenging and there’s so many other stresses outside of this, I think overall this is as normal as it comes … I’m really proud of how they stepped into it right away, stepped up to the game.”
The girls are at Lower Cape May Regional at 4 p.m. today (Wednesday) in their only scheduled game this week. They are at home at 4 p.m. Oct. 28 against Middle Township.
