Sandham leads team to first win
Brian ManzulloSenior forward Samantha Sandham scored three goals as the field hockey won its first game of the season Sunday.
Gray skies, whipping winds and down-pouring rain could not damper the field hockey team's excitement, however, after its 7-1 win against Colgate at the CMU Field Hockey Complex.
"It felt like it was the end of our season, because this is usually the type of weather we see near the end," said senior forward Mo Betuzzi. "It doesn't set us back, because we go to school in Michigan and we are pretty used to it."
Sandham's hat trick was the first of her career, and she had two goals before the Raiders could get on the scoreboard as CMU led 3-1 in the 26th minute. Betuzzi also added two goals for CMU (1-3 overall, 0-1 Mid-American Conference).
"We came out with a bang," Betuzzi said. "We needed to work on our circle play offensively and defensively. We needed this win to bring up our confidence level."
Colgate was unable to score on any of its seven corner shots. CMU goalkeeper Kahla Schwall saved five shots.
"That was the team we thought we had at the beginning of the year," said coach Cristy Freese of her team's performance. "Our offense executed and showed some of the potential that we thought we had."
CMU scored on two of its eight penalty corners. Freshman back Brooke Sihota tipped in a Sandham shot and has now scored in three of her first four collegiate games.
"It feels really good to finally get the win and to score seven goals." Sandham said. "We just have to find a way to carry this to the next game. And to our MAC games, because that is where it really matters."
Sandham scored the first goal of the game with slapping shot off a CMU rebound. Central had a two-goal lead within the first 10 minutes of the game. CMU out-shot the Raiders 19-14.
CMU responded after losing its first three games, the last of which was a 2-0 loss to Miami University Friday in its MAC opener. Freese said the team responded well after suffering its first shut out.
"Friday we were just flat. Nothing was happening for us." Freese said. "We have been reinforcing the passing game, which was better today than what we had on Friday."
CMU will travel to Iowa City, Iowa, next weekend to play Iowa and Boston University.
The Chippewas are now 1-3 overall while Colgate dropped to 3-3.
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