As the Milford field hockey teams’ regular season was coming to a close, things were not looking good for the Buccaneers. While the competition was formidable, the results were simply not up to the standards that coach Andrea McPike holds her team to. Speaking with her following a 3-1 loss on senior day, it was clear that she felt this team was capable of a much higher level of play. Seeded 6th on The DIAA D-1 State Tournament, Milford had their work cut out for them. They started with a 4-3 victory on the road against Padua Academy.
Their reward was a test against #2 seed Caesar Rodney at Delaware Turf on Tuesday, November 10th. While Milford had defeated the Riders 4-2 in the season opener, so much time had passed since that game, McPike knew that The Bucs were going up against a much-improved team than they had met earlier in the season.
“We knew that the first game of the season didn’t mean anything,” McPike said. “Just like we knew how we finished the season didn’t mean anything. Our goal is to always get better, that is all we ask of every member of this family.”
Milford would earn their victory over Caesar Rodney with a 4-0 score. While the number may have made it look easy, the game was anything but. From the start the Riders were on the front foot, attacking the Milford side of the field relentlessly during the first quarter of the game. While Milford was able to keep CR off the board in the first quarter, McPike felt they could do better.
“I thought we came out a little bit tight, while they were aggressive. We made the big plays on defense when we needed to and that allowed us to play ourselves into the game.” McPike stated.
After a scoreless first quarter, lightning would strike for Milford as senior Katelyn Joseph would find the back of the net just 1:43 into the second quarter. The goal almost immediately changed the mindset of the Buccaneers as they went from defenders to attackers.
“We play as a team; it just happened that the ball found my stick and I was able to take advantage of the opportunity. We all kind of relaxed a bit after that and played with a lot more confidence.” Joseph said.
With a 1-0 lead, Milford would put their feet on the gas as they continually set up shop in the Caesar Rodney end. With each passing possession, you could feel the Milford confidence grow. Buoyed with confidence, the attack continued and resulted in a second goal at with 7:11 left in the half, courtesy of senior Molly Masten it would be the first of two goals for Masten who felt that the goal was key for Milford in the game.
“We had been attacking so well during the second quarter, it was very important that we took advantage of that. Scoring that goal and taking a 2-0 lead into halftime was crucial for us, we needed to hold that lead to try and keep them from getting back in the game.” Masten stated.
When the third quarter started, it was clear that Caesar Rodney was not going to go down without a fight. From the start the Riders were in full attack mode, knowing that a goal would get them right back in the game. While the Milford defense was stretched, they made key defensive plays when they mattered.
“We knew they were going to come out attacking to start the second half. We didn’t want to just try and hang on to the lead; we wanted to be able to make an opportunity for ourselves at some point.” McPike said.
Once again, Milford was able to play themselves back into attack mode. While it took a while, it became clear that the game was once again shifting in Milford’s’ favor. While the scoreboard had yet to show it, it was becoming clear that Milford was just not going to sit back on defense and take it. The key was when the Buccaneers began to take control of midfield. As the third quarter progressed, Milford closed up the passing lanes and began to attack.
“I think that the way we kept our composure in the first half of the third quarter was huge for us. These are things that you can’t see on a stat sheet, it is something that shows up when everyone on the team does their job.” McPike stated.
Finally with a minute remaining in the third quarter, sophomore Aiyana Atkins would find the back of the net for a massive goal. More importantly it would give Milford a 3-0 advantage with just over a minute remaining in the third quarter.
“After all the pressure we absorbed for a long time, once we started attacking again, we knew that we could get another goal. That’s what this team is all about, playing like a family.” Masten said.
Entering the fourth quarter with a 3-0 lead, it was Milford’s’ game to lose, and that was simply not going to happen. Milford would close out the scoring as Masten would score her second goal of the game with just over five minutes remaining, closing out the scoring for the game.
Reflecting on the second half, Masten was thrilled with how the team closed out the game. Pressing relentlessly, Milford would draw multiple corners as they finished out the game in complete control.
“Tonight was a real test for us. As always there is room for improvement but tonight was about effort. I am so proud at how this team stood up to the pressure. We believe in each other and it really showed tonight.” McPike said.
Milford will face Cape Henlopen who easily defeated them 3-0 earlier in the season. The game is tentatively scheduled for 4 PM this Friday. When asked about going up against the Cape powerhouse program, McPike’s response was that Milford knew they were underdogs going in.
“We know we are underdogs; we are used to it. There is only one thing we can do, it’s what we do every day,” McPike said. “We wake up, we go to school and then go to practice trying to become a better team. The only thing we can ask of ourselves is to do our best. No matter how it turns out Friday, I want us to walk off the field holding our heads high, knowing we gave it our all.”.
