Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.
Bouyed by Sophia Agathis ’13 and Katie Teleky ’13, who combined on a first half goal, and Goalkeeper Gabby Capone ’14, who was outstanding in making seven saves for her third career shutout, the Swarthmore College field hockey team (1-0) knocked off Cabrini in the 2012 opener to begin the Drew Fall Festival on Saturday morning.
Agathis and Teleky, who enter the season first and second among active players in career points, created several first half opportunities before the classmates connected off a penalty corner in the 27th minute. Off a miss hit insert, Aarti Rao ’14 tracked the ball out of the circle and handed it to Julia Tallarico ’13 who found Agathis two yards into the circle. Agathis’ one-touch redirection found Teleky behind the defense and she backhanded into the empty net to open the Garnet’s 2012 account.
The goal was the 25th in Teleky’s career while the assist was number 22 for Agathis leaving her five shy of fifth in program history.
Swarthmore earned seven corners in the first half and conceded none.
But Cabrini dominated much of the early part of the second half, bending the Garnet defense which remained resilient despite the pressure of 11 Cavalier corners and countless rushes. With Capone recording several big saves, including a full-extension tip on a well-struck corner, and Alexis Zavez ’15, in her first career start, acting the lynchpin, Swarthmore weathered the Cabrini push and in turn doubled their advantage in the 59th minute when an Agathis pass from outside the circle, intended for Teleky, was deflected into the goal by a Cavalier defender to make the score 2-0.
The victory was the ninth-consecutive season-opening win for the Garnet who followed with another win on Sunday against Division-II Mercy. After Swarthmore conceded early, Anne Rosenblatt ’14 tied the match with a howling goal drilled from the middle of the circle.
Tallarico put the Garnet ahead for the first time midway through the second half pouncing on a rebound from a Rao shot and flicking it into the top corner of the cage. Catie Meador ’13 capped the scoring with a penalty-stroke goal just under five minutes later.
With the two wins and a +4 goal differential, Swarthmore captured the 2012 Drew Fall Festival in a tie-breaker over the hosts.
The Garnet returns to play on Thursday with a non-conference match at Richard Stockton.
This story was originally published by Swarthmore Athletics.
