Cougar Field Hockey Falls at Home

The Columbia girls field hockey team put up a valiant effort in a 2-0 home loss to Westfield on Thursday afternoon at the Underhill Sports Complex. But Westfield controlled possession for most of the game and did not allow Columbia's offense to get anything going. The Blue Devils scored on penalty corners in both halves to get the win.

The Cougar defense played well against Westfield, especially when  playing down two players for the final 7:25 because of yellow cards. But the Cougars were constantly on their own half of the field defending and eventually Westfield broke through.

With 7:09 left to play in the opening half, Westfield's Casey Gillespie picked up a pass in traffic off of a corner and squeezed the ball in for a score, putting the Blue Devils up 1-0 heading into the break. Meg Anderson also scored on a corner for Westfield, putting back a rebounded shot with 14:13 left to play.

"Despite what happened I actually think our second half was better. That second goal was unlucky and with the all of the drama that happened I feel like we had to regroup," said CHS head coach Maggie Singler. "I'm really proud of them. I feel like we might be late bloomers like we were last year."

 The second goal came with Columbia playing a man down because of a yellow card issued with 17:47 left to play on Nadia Pelham-Lacey for not giving seven yards distance on a free hit. At the 10 minute mark, Singler got a card for asking for a delay of game call when Westfield's keeper was fixing her pads while the clock was running and the Cougars were trailing 2-0. With 7:25 left on the clock, Lacey got her second yellow card, this one for excessive pushing. The Cougars played eight against 10 the rest of the way.

"It's frustrating when your coach gets a card and the refs say things on the field and then take it out on you. My girls felt threatened, which I don't like to hear," SIngler said. "I don't think I should've been carded for a delay of game, which it clearly was."

The girls actually played some of their best offense when they were down players, earning two corners in the final ten minutes and a near breakaway score by Sofia DiPasquale.

Cougar keeper, Mary Grace Cobbs made 11 saves in the game.

Both Columbia's defense and offense were better in the second half than in the first. In the opening 30 minutes, the Cougars gave up five corners and did not take one, nor did they attempt a shot on goal. In the second half, the locals took two shots, four corners, and allowed just two corners.

"I think we just regrouped. I think Ila [Vaughan], who leads my defense sort of just took a deep breath and started leading again through example," Singler said. "When she is together, we're together. ...From the second the whistle blows, we need to show up, instead of always trying to come from behind."

Now the Cougars have to work on finishing those corners and other scoring opportunities. They are stuck in the midst of a three game scoreless skid, and fell to 1-5 with the loss. However, it's not quite panic time yet, the girls started off 1-8 a year ago before rebounding with a 5-3-1 record down the stretch to sneak into the playoffs.

The girls will be look for win number two in Cranford on Tuesday.