Field Hockey Loses Last Game and Spot in LEC

COURTESY PHOTO OF PSU ATHLETICS

It was a devastating end to the field hockey’s season from their game this past weekend. In a Little East Conference match with Worcester State University, the team fell short in the second half where the final two goals of the game were scored. From this game the team finished 5-11 overall in the season and 5-7 in the LEC, which put them in a tie for eighth place with Eastern Connecticut State. It came down to who won earlier in the regular season. September 29^th the teams met and went into overtime and Eastern Connecticut scored off a penalty corner to give them the win. Which became the deciding factor in putting them in the playoffs and keeping PSU out of it. 

“I played my heart out and never gave up and I am very happy with the way I played. I am also very proud of the way our team performed,” freshman Maddie Ruffing (Durham NC) said about her game. She also commented how even though they lost, they played a great game, considering the weather. The nor’easter was ripping through gave the players a third opponent to place against. “With only one sub on the sideline, our team pushed through and gave our best effort. We never quit, and we stayed positive and worked hard throughout the entire game. I don’t think the scoreboard means anything because in my mind, we won.”

Within the first three minutes of play, Worcester scored, dropping the ball into the lower left. But a little over ten minutes later is when Ruffing got her first career goal, putting Plymouth right back into the competition. With about five minutes left in the first half, Worcester capitalized again from a penalty stroke. The half would end with them up by one, but Plymouth was still putting up a fight, Ruffing commenting “our strongest points of this season were that we kept fighting and working hard.” Both teams held each other off until Worcester spoke up 20 minutes into the second half. Looking murky for PSU, they still gave offensive runs but could never finish. Worcester shut down any hope for Plymouth, grabbing a final goal in the remaining minutes to make the score 4-1. 

Plymouth had only taken half the shots Worcester took, 16. Regardless they still had scoring opportunities with penalty corners, taking two more than their opponent. The Plymouth field hockey team is losing one senior, Patty Newhard (South Dennis MA) from this season. Underclassman Ruffing says she looks “forward to watching our team grow next year. Each player is so gifted individually and if we could just put all of our talent together, we would have a greater outcome. I want to make it into playoffs next year more than anything and I know if we utilize the talent we have, we can not only make it but come out on top. We grew so much from August till now, I can only imagine how much we will grow by next season.

Not the end they wanted, but I couldn’t have said it better than the closing words of Ruffing:

“Even though we didn’t end with a great record, we were a great team. I am honored to be a part of a team that never gives up because in the end, that is what really matters. Having the opportunity to score in the final game of the season was a great way for me to personally finish the season. It was not an easy three months but I would not change one thing about it."