TURNER — Brooke Carson was the offensive catalyst for Oxford Hills in a defensive battle against Leavitt on Tuesday.
Carson scored a goal and had an assist as the Vikings defeated the Hornets 2-0 in a KVAC field hockey contest.
“I think our speed, our hard hits, too, I think our corners came into play,” Carson, a senior, said. “It played a big role, I think keeping the ball in our possession was a big factor in our success.”
The Vikings had 18 penalty corners to the Hornets’ six in the game.
“The pressure was there and hopefully they can find the goal cage,” Oxford Hills coach Cindy Goddard said of penalty corners.
Leavitt, meanwhile, struggled to convert its chances.
“It was a very competitive game. We aren’t finishing, we are missing that extra spark up front,” Hornets coach Wanda Ward-MacLean said. “Defensively, we got confused a couple of times, and at this point of the season that shouldn’t happen.”
The first half was tightly contested for 20-plus minutes. Then Oxford Hills struck off a corner. Carson found Lauren Merrill, who put home a shot past Leavitt goalie Paige DeMascio with about eight minutes remaining in the half.
“Brooke is pretty intense in front of the goal cage,” Goddard said. “… She definitely has the tools to put pressure on the goalies and (defense).”
DeMascio finished with eight saves.
Oxford Hills almost potted another goal right before the half, but time ran out. That was one of a few missed chances the Vikings had in the game.
“There were maybe three one-on-ones I had that I did not finish on, that I should have,” Carson said. “But, that happens, it’s a part of the game.”
The momentum turned in the Hornets’ favor midway through the second half when they had three consecutive corners. But they were unable to find the back of the cage.
Vikings goalie Madison Day made a key save during that stretch to keep the Hornets off the board. She finished with four saves.
The Hornets made one last dash effort in the final minutes. Ginny Twitchell ran down the field into the offensive end, but the Vikings were able to get the ball back to end that threat.
“She was on a mission,” Ward-MacLean said. “We just got shut down at the end, unfortunately.”
The Hornets defenders moved up in the offensive end late in the game, allowing the Vikings to take the ball the other way.
Carson took advantage, adding an insurance goal with 25 seconds remaining in the game.
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