Lady Jays end skid with 2-0 shutout

The Hopkins field hockey team has had a determined season thus far, complete with a few hard losses, close games and big-time wins. After taking their first game 4-3 against Centre College, they went on to win two more, winning by at least three goals each game. However, they have also lost three games, putting their record at an even 3-3. Most recently, Hopkins travelled to Allentown, Pennsylvania to take on Muhlenburg College. This game held double the importance for the Lady Jays as it would not only serve as the deciding game between a winning and losing record but would also contribute to their record within the Centennial Conference. Fortunately for Hopkins, senior Elizabeth Peijnenburg took the net; knocking down all seven shots that came her way and helping the Jays make their way to a 2-0 shutout. Things got off slow for both sides, with the game remaining scoreless for the first seventeen minutes of play. But Peijnenburg wasn’t sitting idly. With the Mules delivering seven shots during the game, the Netherlands-native had plenty to keep her occupied. “Our very first shot on goal resulted in a goal, which is great. We definitely controlled most of the game, though not the first 10 minutes of the first half,” noted Peijnenburg. A few minutes into the latter part of the first half, things started to pick up when the Jays got a corner call in their favor, giving them an excellent scoring opportunity. Senior Liane Tellier took advantage sending the ball around the circle before knocking it in herself to put Hopkins up 1-0. Peijnenburg helped to keep the Jays on top, blocking four back-to-back shots in a little over eight minutes. “In the end Muhlenberg actually had one more shot on goal, they had 7, we had 6, but we used our chances and converted two of the six shots on goals,” she commented. Having played field hockey for far longer than most of her U.S. teammates, Peijnenberg explains that the challenge of being the last line of defense was what attracted her to the position of goalie. “At the beginning of 11th grade, I started off as a defender. Then, during the indoor season, my coach decided to put me in goal to see what the game was like. It is very different from regular outdoor hockey. It’s much faster and there are only 6 people on the field at a time. The field is also a lot smaller. I enjoyed the challenge of being the last defender and never left the cage.” In the second half, both teams continued to play aggressively with the Mules sending two shots at Peijnenburg within a minute of each other. However, both were blocked, giving the Jays more time to extend their lead. After firing off a series of shots to no avail, the Lady Jays capitalized on another corner when Tellier shot one into the circle, giving freshman Elena Gresick the chance to score, putting Hopkins up 2-0 and giving Gresick her first career goal. When asked about her interest in the sport, Peijnenburg pointed to her roots. “Field hockey is a much more popular sport in the Netherlands, where I grew up, than it is in the US. I started playing when I was six though switched to horse riding (show jumping) when I was ten. I picked up hockey again in eleventh grade and half way through the season decided to become a goalie.” While enjoying many other activities before coming to Hopkins and playing for the field hockey team, Peijnenburg says that the one thing in particular that draws her to the sport is its team aspect. Peijnenburg, like all members of the team, hopes to be able to take the team to the NCAA tournament, a feat that hasn’t happened since 2008. As for more personal goals, Peijnenburg plans to play hard and focus on the game at hand. “It would be great to end my hockey career at Hopkins by winning the Centennial conference.” Hopkins’ next game comes this Wednesday at Homewood Field against the Salisbury University Sea Gulls at 7 p.m.