A belief in their young players and reliance on steady veterans led to the Delmarva Christian field hockey team winning its first game of the year Sept. 6, against Tome School in dramatic fashion – a 3-2 double-overtime victory.
The Titans got on the board first, three minutes into the second quarter, and could have added a few more to their tally if it weren’t for Royals senior Bella Marinelli stepping up in goal. Marinelli finished the game with 15 saves.
Delmarva Christian junior Haley Jones led by example on the other end of the field, putting two passes from eighth-grader Lacie Wilkins into the Titans’ cage, with one coming in the fourth. Tome also registered a tally in the final quarter of regulation, setting the stage for overtime on the sun-baked Bermuda grass.
Royals’ eighth-grader Olivia Balback finally perplexed the Titans in the second overtime, registering the game-winner to give Delmarva Christian a 3-2 win in their season opener. It marks the second year in a row the Royals upended Tome to start their year.
Going on the road for their next three games (Sussex Tech, Gunston School and Laurel), the Royals will play their next home game at 4 p.m., Monday, Sept. 16, against ESIAC rival Sts. Pater & Paul.