After winning their first nine games by no less than eight goals, the Delmar varsity field hockey team had a tough test last Thursday at home against Cape Henlopen. The Wildcats’ Jordyn Hollamon netted the game-winner in the second quarter while Delmar goalie Summer Payne made 10 saves in a battle of the goalies, which included a scoreless second half.
“I’d rather play 15 games like that. It’s good hockey, it’s intense hockey, it’s high level hockey. That’s the way it should be,” said Delmar head coach Jodi Hollamon. “The goalkeepers were probably the MVPs of the game.”
Jordyn Hollamon, shown with the ball, scored the game-winning goal for the Wildcats in the second quarter last Thursday against Cape Henlopen. Photo by Mike McClure
“It feels good. I had a couple close calls. I had a good team in front of me,” Payne said.
Delmar senior Maci Bradford scored the game’s first goal at 14:35 in the first quarter. Cape Henlopen’s Devon Degregory netted the game-tying goal less than two minutes later (12:44).
The Vikings had a shot stopped by Payne off a corner at the start of the second quarter. The Wildcats had three shots on goal and a corner before Jordyn Hollamon scored with 1:32 left in the first half. Hollamon went coast-to-coast after receiving the ball from Emma Price, who made a defensive play to take it away.
Cape Henlopen held a 6-4 edge in shots and a 4-1 advantage in corners in the opening half. Payne recorded six first half saves.
Delmar had the first corner of the second half, but the Vikings answered with three corners and a pair of shots that were stopped. Delmar had a pair of shots saved by Cape Henlopen goalie Morgan Newcomb followed by four more corners and one shot each by Josie Hollamon and Bradford, which Newcomb stopped.
In the fourth quarter, Jordyn Hollamon, Josie Hollamon, and Bradford had shots on goal and Newcomb recorded saves. Cape Henlopen got three more corners and took shots on goal in the final five minutes of the game, however, Payne and the Delmar defense turned them back to secure the 2-1 win.
“We learned a lot from this game. That’s what it’s about during the season, to continue to get better,” said coach Hollamon.
Delmar out-shot Cape Henlopen, 21-10, and the Vikings held a 10-8 edge in corners. Payne made 10 saves, Jordyn Hollamon had two defensive saves, and Josie Hollamon made one defensive save. Newcomb recorded 15 stops in the loss.
“It kind of was like practice,” Payne said of seeing a lot of action in the game. “Kudos to her (Newcomb), she had a very good game as well.”
