Cape hockey beats Central 5-0 for 20th straight shutout
The Cape field hockey team dominated visiting Sussex Central Sept. 17 at Champions Stadium, winning 5-0 behind a hat trick from Cami Smith. Cape outshot the Golden Knights 32-0 with a 16-1 advantage in penalty corners.
Cape improves to 4-0 on the season, and the win was the 20th straight shutout over two seasons.
The Vikings now move into the jaws of their September schedule, hosting 2018 Division I state finalist Padua at 12:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 21, then hit the road for a matchup against Division II state champion Delmar Tuesday, Sept. 24.
“That was more like the Cape hockey we’re supposed to play,” said coach Kate Austin after the Central game. “We were moving the ball a lot better than we did against Tower Hill. And Sussex Central is a much improved team from last year. Their goalie was awesome.”
Kianna Kelly, a sophomore, had 17 saves in the game. In contrast, Cape goalie Marlee Geppert had 12 saves the entire 2018 season.
Cape’s first-half goals were scored by Smith from Sam Connors at 25:11 and Reagan Ciabattoni from Haley Craig at 22:38.
Smith scored the first two goals of the second half on assists from Ciabattoni and Anna Stancofski, and with just 39 second left to play, Jhayden Holloman scored on an assist from Sydney Jefferson.
“It was my first time on the field in a game and first time touching the ball,” Holloman said. “That is just crazy.”
Cape played the game without star midfielder Emily Monigle, who is out with a fractured thumb.
Cape won the junior varsity game 6-0, outshooting the Golden Knights 10-0. First-half goals were scored by Cailyn Bledsoe at 19:00 and Sommer Dorman from Grace Hudson at 11:28.
Second-half scores were by Marisa Conte at 22:57, Alexis Truitt at 18:56, Conte from Dorman at 16:44, and Allison Head from Rosemary Waple at 14:33.
Goalie Aniyah Briddell had five saves for the Golden Knights, while Sophia Zych had one save for the Vikings.
