FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Field Hockey team took down Molloy 7-0 in their 2024 home opener on Tuesday afternoon.
FSU began the game immediately on the attack, with junior Paige Leitzel drawing a save from Lion keeper Kayla Lipscomb within the first 30 seconds. The Bobcats kept possession through the first couple minutes, winning their first penalty corner with just under three minutes gone, from which a Leitzel shot rebounded to sophomore Emma Price to fire into an empty goal for a 1-0 lead.
Molloy was able to grow into the game and got some possession up the field, but never truly threatened Frostburg goal. At the midway point of the period, graduate Emilie Bonhivert found classmate Ashlyn Cave off another corner, as a deflection took the ball into the back of the cage for a 2-0 advantage. Leitzel had one more shot thwarted by Lipscomb, as neither side registered another shot the rest of the quarter.
As they had done in the first, FSU came out quick in the second, as Bonhivert drew another save from Lipscomb, but sophomore Mikyla Rineer was there to steer home the rebound 17 seconds in. Four minutes later, Bonhivert made a counterattacking run down the middle and was able to find senior Lina Goetz wide open on the left side to grow the lead to 4-0. In the final three minutes of the half, Letizel had a shot blocked, one saved, and one wide, unable to add on after the first 30.
After a slower start to the second half, which only featured a shot wide from senior Olivia Wenzel, freshman Hannah Haberkorn drew another stop from Lipscomb. Eight and a half minutes in, Leitzel turned provider, receiving the ball in the middle of the arc and feeding sophomore Avery Hayden, who was able to turn and fire into the roof of the cage for a 5-0 lead.
Less than a minute later, Frostburg earned another corner, where Leitzel fed to the top of the arc for Bonhivert to drill a low shot into the bottom corner and a six-goal advantage. At the 10-minute mark of the period, the Lions registered their lone shot of the contest, going wide of the mark. The Bobcats had a pair of quick-fire shots in the final two minutes, as both Bonhivert and graduate Zoe Reading saw their efforts saved. A trio of late corners only resulted in a Leitzel shot that went wide, ending the third with a 6-0 score line.
FSU had a couple of shots go high and get blocked to start the fourth, then three and a half minutes in, Wenzel made a surging run down the right wing, putting the ball on a platter for Leitzel to sweep home for the final goal of the contest at 7-0. MU earned their only corner of the game with seven minutes to go, but the Bobcat defense stood firm, not allowing an opportunity at goal.
A string of Frostburg corners only resulted in a blocked shot, before the fourth gave way to a penalty stroke, but freshman Taylor Korczynski put her effort high. Freshman Layla Lagunas put an effort wide and took the game's final corner, but FSU couldn't get a final shot away, ending things at 7-0.
The Bobcats outshot the Lions 25-1, with 16 efforts on goal while the visitors didn't manage one. It was the program's most goals scored in a game since winning 9-0 over Lincoln Memorial in 2022. Leitzel and Bonhivert led the offense with a goal and pair of assists each, with seven different goalscorers on the afternoon.
With the victory, FSU improves to 1-1, while Molloy falls to 1-1. Frostburg returns to action on Saturday, September 14 when they host Pace at 12 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.
