Cape hockey shot down by Delmar 3-0 at Champions Stadium
Cape field hockey managed just five shots on goal, three penalty corners and no goals over 60 minutes of play Sept. 20 against visiting Delmar, losing 3-0 in a titanic battle between two defending state champions. It was the second year in a row Cape lost to the Cats after owning Delmar for a decade, including three victories in state finals.
The game was furiously fast, and the officials handed out six total cards in response to the game’s overall aggressiveness.
Delmar managed 11 shots – a low number for them – and 14 corners for the game, while goalie Kelly Davis had three saves and one wave-it-off goal to record her fifth shutout of the season.
First-year starter Marlee Geppert had five saves in goal for Cape.
“I’m not happy with our level of aggressive competitiveness and confidence,” said Cape coach Kate Austin. “We knew they were good and fast. I just felt we didn’t respond to the moment the way we usually do. But we’ll fix that and learn to play with greater intensity from start to finish.”
Delmar’s Morgan Bradford scored two first-half goals at 23:59 and 1:44 off assists from Ashlyn Carr and Hailey Bitters. The goal just before halftime was a dagger shot that was twisted early in the second half when an apparent Alia Marshall goal at 27:32 was reversed after a timeout and midfield captains confab with officials. It was deemed a dangerous shot – perhaps the right call, but made at the wrong time for Cape fans.
Basically, the high slapshot whizzed past too many craniums on the way to the cage. A correct call using the deliberative process in front of a large partisan crown just amped up the electricity in the stadium.
Cape thought they were back in the game at 2-1, but then not so much, and minutes later eighth-grader Josie Hollamon – coach Jodi Hollomon’s daughter – rang the bell at 21:26 to make it 3-0. And it was game over, except for a few more yellow cards.
The Wildcats improved to 5-0. All wins have been by shutout, having outscored opponents 22-0.
Delmar will play at Polytech Thursday, Sept. 27, against the 4-0 Panthers.
Cape will play at Seaford Sept. 27 before hosting Good Counsel Saturday, Sept. 29, then travelling to Sussex Tech Tuesday, Oct. 2.
Notes: Delmar’s Morgan Bradford is a sophomore, goalie Kelly Davis a freshman and Josie Hollamon is in eighth grade. Steve Judge, who didn’t have a daughter in the Delmar/Cape game for the first time in a decade, brought his dog, which he purchased from Olympian Carrie Lingo, just to keep the pedigree going.
