McKeon's two goals lead field hockey past Delaware 4-3
Bailey McKeon has accounted for 50 percent of the goals scored by the Central Michigan field hockey team this season.
None were more important than her second of the two tallied Friday in Ann Arbor. She closed the game out with a goal 10:37 into overtime to defeat Delaware, 4-3.
McKeon did not spray the opposing goalkeeper with shots throughout the game, needing only three shot to net two goals.
“I think we’re just connecting our passes better,” McKeon said. “We’re having the right people at the right scoring positions. I think that’s what’s really making a difference.”
McKeon is one goal away from her 2011 season goal total with four goals, through three games.
“I would say she should get last season’s goal total sometime tomorrow,” head coach Cristy Freese said. “Bailey (McKeon’s) a good player. To be honest with you, the difference in the early part of this season, compared to last season, is only where I have her.”
Freese said McKeon is in the prime position to score goals for a forward, on the left-side of the field.
It appeared at the beginning of the game that the Chippewas would not need a clutch goal from McKeon.
CMU pounced on the Blue Hens early, scoring on a goal from Erica Garwood 30 seconds into the game.
The Chippewas were in control at halftime, 2-1.
But what CMU did to UD at the beginning of the first half, the Blue Hens did to them at the end of the game.
UD, down 3-1, scored two goals in the last six minutes of the second period, including one from Kasey Prettyman with 31 seconds left in the game.
Freese said CMU goalie Anastasia Netto let the tying goal past her because it was shot from outside of the striking circle, where goals are not counted in field hockey. But it was ruled Prettyman, who was in the circle, deflected it.
McKeon tallied the final goal in overtime, starting the weekend off strong for CMU.
“This is a huge win,” Freese said. “Certainly, if we would have lost in a game we had total control of, it wouldn’t have helped us. But now, I think our kids can gain a lot of confidence from the adversity of today.”
