BOONE, N.C. -- Appalachian State University field hockey (5-10, 1-3 MAC) used four second-half goals to blow past Central Michigan 5-1 at home on Senior Night.
On a beautiful, brisk evening at Adcock Field, the Mountaineers honored seniors
Keighly Adams and
Sarah Heiss before Friday's resounding victory. Both seniors earned a spot in the starting lineup in what was their final home game in a Mountaineers' uniform.
"They were here from the start of me taking over, and they've given all of their heart to the program," head coach
Meghan Dawson said. "They've been amazing, and through the good times and the bad times, they've always kept fighting. I know I'm better because of them."
Appalachian struck first when junior
Ali Williams knocked home sophomore
Annette Jarosz's pass from the right side of the circle. Jarosz drove in from outside of the circle, centering the ball for Williams to net the opening score.
Williams' goal served as the only score in the first half, and the Mountaineers took a 1-0 advantage into the break. The Black and Gold outshot the Chippewas 10-3 in the opening half.
The Mountaineers doubled their advantage in the 39th minute when sophomore
Veerle Van Heertum smacked home a goal off a penalty corner. Freshman
Friederike Stegen and sophomore
Chloe Bell notched the assists on Van Heertum's seventh goal of the season.
Williams then secured a brace only ten minutes later, stretching the Mountaineers' lead to 3-0 on her sixth goal of the season.
The Chippewas cut into Appalachian's lead in the 60th minute when Cara Satre scored off a wild scramble inside the circle. After Satre's goal, the Mountaineers responded with the game's final two scores. Van Heertum netted another goal off a penalty corner, again with Stegen and Bell recording the assists. Stegen then closed the Mountaineers' scoring tally with a goal in the 69th minute.
"We played with our emotions in the most positive way," Dawson said. "We didn't get overwhelmed with it being Senior Night. We just really wanted to honor those two seniors for all the work that they've put in. We are finally clicking, and tonight it came together."
Appalachian fired 23 total shots, 19 of which landed on goal. Van Heertum finished Friday's matchup with two shots on goal and a pair of scores. Stegen ended Appalachian's 5-1 victory with four shots, three shots on goal, two assists and a goal.
Redshirt-Freshman
Madison Nuckols recorded her first victory in the goal cage. Nuckols tallied six saves while facing nine total shots from the Chippewas.
The Black and Gold take an eight-day break before traveling to Oxford, Ohio, to battle Miami for a noon matchup on Oct. 20.
