Newberry, S.C. - Coming into the game, junior Carly Ellis had scored two goals in her career. By the end of the night she had doubled that total and then some as her hat trick helped lead the Newberry Field Hockey team to a 4-1 win over Belmont Abbey. The win capped a perfect three-match homestand over the past week for the Wolves and moved them to 6-4 on the season and 3-3 in SACC play.
The Crusaders would strike first just over five minutes into the first quarter as Gianna Conti, who scored the game-winning goal in the last matchup between the teams, picked up right where she left off as she slotted home her tenth goal of the season on a breakaway and the Scarlet and Gray found themselves in a 1-0 hole as the first 15 minutes of action came to a close.
Newberry would waste no time getting back into the game as
Tamsin Bangert's had a shot saved and kicked out where
Carly Ellis was there to put it home and after some deliberation on whether or not the goal had crossed the line, the goal was allowed and we were all knotted up at one. Each team would get a few more shots off before Belmont Abbey would be given a man-advantage as
Marissa Plumer was given a Green Card and was sent to the sideline to serve her two minute penalty. Newberry would kill the two minutes off and only allow the Crusaders to muster one shot which was pushed wide and that would bring the first half of action to a close.
The third quarter would start out slow as neither team would manage a shot for the first four minutes of action. However, the Scarlet and Gray would break that trend as Millie Gallagher would find Yasmin De Meyer who unleashed a rocket for her team leading fifth goal of the season and Newberry gained the lead at 2-1 and would not relinquish it from there. The Newberry penalty kill was once again put to the test as a Rachel Crowder green card and a Caitlin Wassermann yellow card meant the Wolves would have to play 11v9. The Wolves defense rose to the challenge and did not allow a shot for the whole time they played shorthanded, stretching into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, it was Carly Ellis' time to write her name in the history books. With just under seven minutes to play, a Lily Drury penalty corner found the stick of Hailey Moore who, after a quick pass back and forth with Marissa Plumer, put the ball into the shooting circle where Ellis tapped it home for her second of the night and season to make it 3-1. From there Belmont Abbey would pull goalie Chloe Parker for an extra attacker. But it was Newberry would who take advantage of the empty net as with time ticking down a forced turnover by Yasmin De Meyer at midfield would lead to a pass to Lily Drury who lobbed it in to Ellis standing right in front of the empty net as she would tap it home as the horn sounded to secure the fourth hat trick in program history joining Kaycie Andrew, Caitlyn Warren, and Brady Keeler in that exclusive club. Her six points in a game are also tied for third most in program history.
"Belmont Abbey is always going to be a tough game for us," said Head Coach Hannah Dave. "It took that goal they scored early on to wake us up and to have us focus on what we prepared the last few practices for. I am very proud of how this group has come together the last couple weeks to become one team. It was a great team win from everyone, and hats off to Carly Ellis for getting those finishing touches in"
The Scarlet and Gray now head on the road for four straight games starting this Sunday at 3 PM against Coker. The Wolves will return to Setzler Field on October 27th as they face Mount Olive.
