Field hockey edge Merrimack College 2-1, improved 2-0

The field hockey team (2-0-0) defeated Merrimack College Warriors (0-0-4) by 2-1 and closed the opening weekend. The Bears dominated the attack throughout the game, overtaking the Warriors 23-2 and putting 18 shots to the finish, but Merrimacks ’strong defensive game kept the game close.

After 18 minutes, Warriors used a short break in the game to take new instructions from their coach. But this would be the last shot the goalkeeper Jodi Brine 23 and the Bears would give throughout the game.

Bruno increased momentum in the second half with a dominant midfield presence from captain Dani Van Rootselaar 22 as he continued to push the Warrior defense with a high 11 shots online.

Brown fired eight shots in the third quarter and eventually broke in a tie in the 39th minute from the corner kick. Midfielder Lindsey Ross 23 placed the ball on Mikayla Walsh 25, who touched the Rothkopf 25 pass and shot from the top of the circle to equalize the game 1-1. Rothkopf said all the shots, including his own goal, are due to a change in speed that the Bears brought to the field in the second half. This was an important victory, we showed how hard we came from behind, Rothkopf said. We played fast and took on situations after the first half frustration. The Bears threw five more shots in the last three minutes of the period, keeping their feet on the gas.

Bruno came close to putting the visiting team one up 53 minutes into the match, following a solo raid down the middle, but Emma Rosen managed to tip the ball to a corner. This led to the Bears 2-1 lead, which the Warriors could not dodge in the final game.

The team’s dynamics are different this year, and the season is gone. Rootselaar said most of the team is still familiar with the collegial experience. I think the success of this year more than any previous year really depends on the example, Rootselaar said. Half of the team is inexperienced and doesn’t know what it’s like to play. The more we play this way, the better the chemistry of our team will continue.

Head coach Jill Reeves said the team’s diverse experience gives more room for in-game improvements, which led to a second-half torque switch. We are a passing team, Reeves said. In the second half, everything clicked and the fluidity of our game was reflected in the final passes and in favor of our appearance, which was not there in the first half. We hurried the look at the beginning, which was easy to fix and helped us see the difference in energy.

The Browns ’unbeatable start to the 2021 season has sparked excitement among field hockey players, including midfielder Ana Claire Piacentini 23. Our team culture is so positive right now, and I know it’s a cliché, Piacentini said. We wanted it a lot more in the second half, but the audience really makes an impact. This was our opening weekend and the Brown Athletics and the surrounding Brown community who came to support us are really all we can ask for.

The bears will return to action on Friday, Sept. 10 in a home game against international rival Bryant University. The drop starts at 4pm and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN +.