The MVRHS field hockey team closed in on a state tournament berth with a pair of Cape and Island League wins over Nantucket and Sturgis Charter School West. The Vineyarders improved to 8-2 overall and 4-1 in league play, needing one more win to make the postseason.
Saturday in Oak Bluffs, MV downed Nantucket, 5-0.
Abby Marchand put the hosts in front 6:45 into the game, Mackenzie Condon added a pair of goals, and Hailey Meader scored to give the Vineyarders a 4-0 halftime lead. Meader tallied again in the second half by jamming the ball through a maze of players in the crease. Skyla Harthcock picked up two assists in the game, and Ava BenDavid had one.
“It was a really selfless game for us today,” Vineyard Coach Lisa Knight said. “Everybody got some great time today. Everybody was passing, everybody was clicking, and everybody was playing really well.”
The Vineyarders came into the game well-rested after playing through a grueling stretch of four games in four days. “I think we haven’t had a game in almost a week, and it was nice having the time off after playing four games in a row. I think they were revved and ready to go,” Coach Knight said. “We had two great practices in a row, and we emphasized attack and scoring goals because we’re a pretty powerful team and we’ve been only averaging three goals a game, which is fine, but we need to average more than that to feel comfortable, especially when you get into the tournament. We did some drills and really worked on being selfless and passing the ball. I think it really showed today.”
The Vineyarders traveled to Simpkins Field in Yarmouth on Tuesday and beat Sturgis West, 4-0.
Addy Hayman scored the first goal of the game with 2:09 left in the first half. The Vineyarders broke the game open with three more goals in the second. Skyla Harthcock put the visitors up 2-0 three minutes in, assisted by Megan Zeilinger. Seven minutes later, Hayman set up Mackenzie Condon for goal No. 3, then scored her second goal of the game with 13:50 left to play.
MV travels to Nantucket on Saturday, and hosts Plymouth South on Monday at 11:30 am.
