Having rarely been challenged so far this season, the AU field hockey team was prepared for a test Sunday, in the form of No. 24 William and Mary (6-5).
The Eagles scored an "A," thrashing the Tribe, 6-1, at the William I. Jacobs Recreation Center. The win was AU's 10th in what, so far, has been a perfect season.
AU attacked from the onset, maintaining ball control with crisp passing and defense. But the Tribe scored first on a penalty stroke in the middle of the first half that resulted from a trip that sent William and Mary's Laura Kastelic to the ground. AU junior goalkeeper Allison Fayfich deflected the penalty shot, but could not stop the ball from dribbling past her.
The deficit fueled the Eagles. AU peppered the William and Mary goalkeeper with 14 shots and finally slipped one past with just three minutes left in the first half, when freshman Irene Schickhardt linked a perfect pass to senior Maureen Daniel, who finished with 3:15 left in the half.
A minute later the Eagles struck again when Daniel hit streaking sophomore Maggie Hall for an easy put-away.
Then, Hall scored her second goal just 48 seconds later as the onslaught continued.
"She's just a work horse," AU coach Steve Jennings said of Hall. "She does some amazing things offensively and defensively for us. She's a dangerous, and very underrated player."
The first half ended with three unanswered goals by the Eagles and a shot chart that resembled the difference between night and day, with AU holding a 16-5 advantage.
AU continued to smother William and Mary in the second half. Aggressive play rewarded the Eagles with four corners in the first three minutes. And on their fourth corner, junior Camila Infante received a pass from senior Heather Maranzano, drove past the defenders and rifled a shot that screamed by the screened Tribe goalkeeper.
"We were moving the ball today with 11 people," Jennings said. "Everyone wanted it, and that left their team open defensively."
Up 4-1 through half of the second, AU began unloading the bench to give reserves playing time, yet the pressure continued. Junior Tiffany Carter and junior Kaitlin DeTroia each notched their second goals of the season propelling AU to the 6-1 victory.
The Eagles out-shot William and Mary 27-10 overall in what could only be described as a dominating performance.
The AU victory came off one day's rest after the Eagles beat Bucknell, 3-1, Saturday in Lewisburg, Pa. It was their first Patriot League matchup of the season. The Eagles fell behind early, but responded in the second half. Senior Javiera Villagra scored two goals and Infante added one.
AU goes on the road next weekend to face PL foes Lafayette on Saturday and Rutgers on Sunday, before returning home the following weekend.
