CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte field hockey team played its final regular season home game today falling 9-6 to No. 10 Limestone College. The Royals now sit second in the South Atlantic Conference Carolinas to the Saints with a league record of 5-3 and an overall record of 7-8. Limestone improves to 11-3 on the year and 8-0 in conference play.
Queens was led by
Mazvita Mtisi who totaled three goals and two assists after putting all six of her shots on goal today. Senior
Renee Smith added two goals and junior
Hanna Nechay tallied one goal. Freshman
Molly Walter notched the Royals' third assist on the day.
The Saints jumped out to an early lead this afternoon scoring back-to-back goals in the 10
th and 11
th minute of action. Queens was able to close the gap to one when Mtisi and Smith teamed up on a goal in the 24
th, and the Royals knotted things up with another in the 28
th from the stick of Mtisi. However, Limestone managed to sneak another ball into the cage just short of the break to take a 3-2 lead into the half.
Queens opened the second half with all of the momentum scoring three goals in just under six minutes. Mtisi had her hand in all three, scoring two and assisting on one. In the 40
th, the forward snuck the ball past Limestone's keeper in a scramble in front of the cage. Not even a minute later, she would dispossess her opponent and race up the field to find Nechay in front of the cage for a score. Mtisi then fired a rocket into the cage from the right side of the field in the 41
st to put the Royals ahead 5-3.
Queens saw its largest lead of the day on its next goal scored by Smith in the 49
th which put the home team in front by three, 6-3. However, the goal would be the final of the day from the Royals as the Saints got hot in the final 20 minutes scoring six unanswered goals to take over control and steal the win.
The Royals outshot Limestone 14-11, putting 12 shots on goal to the Saints' 10 shots on goal. Additionally, Queens earned seven penalty corners to Limestone's five.
Kate Remley led the Saints with four goals and one assist while Thando Muchemenyi recorded one goal and two assists. Cameron Felch and Kelly Diplock each tallied one goal and one assist, and Cassidy Coates and Keaghan Keracher chipped in with one goal apiece. Susie Williams collected six saves in the cage.
Prior to the start of today's game, seniors
Amanda Rafferty and
Renee Smith were honored for their careers with the Royals.
Queens will close its regular season next week with two games on the road. They will first face Belmont Abbey on Tuesday at 3 p.m. before traveling to Newberry on Saturday for a 2 p.m. match.
