CR hockey can't drop moving target, Cape rolls 4-0

Amazingly, the confidence coefficient seemed extraordinarily high for the visiting Caesar Rodney field hockey team Sept. 17 at Cape Henlopen’s Champions Stadium.

The Riders were coming off a 10-0 drubbing from Delmar the previous Tuesday and had just watched their junior varsity squad get dissected by a skilled Cape team 8-0.

Like all teams that go after the moving target that is Cape hockey, the deeper they go in a competitive game, the more jazzed they get.

The game was scoreless until 3:13 left in the first half, when Tess Bernheimer cranked home a shot off a feed from Erin Coverdale. At 2:36, the midfield senior duo connected again to give Cape a 2-0 lead at the half.

“The second half was the same score, but a different story," said Cape coach Kate Austin after the Vikings won 4-0 with a 25-6 advantage in shots and a 16-3 corner imbalance. “I think maybe they crossed midfield twice the entire second half.”

Early in the second half, leading assist maker Sydney Ostroski lifted a ball toward the doorstep of the Riders house, and sophomore striker Katie Frederick whacked it out of midair for her fifth goal of the season and a 3-0 Cape lead.

Coverdale slammed home a shot at 19:29 for the final goal of the game. Riley Shields was credited with four saves while senior Molly Harris of Caesar Rodney had 10.

Cape plays at Dover (2-0) Tuesday, Sept. 22. The Senators have wins over Lake Forest 2-1 and Sussex Central 4-0.

Cape will face Severna Park, last year’s Maryland state champion, at the University of Delaware Saturday, Sept. 26, at 2:30 p.m.

Cape’s JV team defeated the Riders 8-0 with a 25-2 advantage in shots and 11-2 in corners. Jackie Cannon, Amanda Sponaugle, and Vienna Iocona each had two goals for the Vikings. Anna Harrington and Darby Klopp also scored for Cape. Iocona 2, Leah Barry and Taylor Smith recorded assists. Cassidy Best and Nicole Aikens shared time in goal.