OWINGS MILLS — In the first field hockey game of the season for both schools, Stevenson struck just 75 seconds in and never trailed en route to a 3-1 victory over visiting Washington on Friday night.
What held up as the winning goal was scored in the 32nd minute.
Senior Kat Esposito found the back of the net in the 44th minute to put the guests from Chestertown on the board, cutting the deficit in half, 2-1.
But 13 minutes later, Stevenson regained its two-goal lead, which held up as the final score.
Washington outshot the home team, 12-7, which included seven shots on frame.
Stevenson keeper Jordan Vradenburgh was credited with five saves, including four in the middle two quarters when Washington totaled 10 shots.
Sophomore Lauren Schulz‘s goal off a penalty corner with 1 minute, 15 seconds elapsed was Stevenson’s only shot of the first half.
The hosts’ second shot of the game, freshman Coco Wallace in the 32nd minute, produced their second goal and a 2-0 lead.
Esposito ended the shutout 12 minutes later when she put back the rebound of a Samantha McMahon shot that ricocheted off the post, finishing off a short corner opportunity that started with an insert from Emma Campbell.
Prior to Esposito’s goal, Washington had three shots in succession in the 40th minute — by Campbell, McMahon and MaryCate Anson — but was unable to solve Vradenburgh.
Senior Haley Palmer’s goal off a penalty corner in the 57th minute boosted Stevenson’s lead to 3-1.
NEXT UP: The Shore ladies travel to No. 4-ranked Salisbury on Wednesday, Sept. 4. Game time is 6 p.m.
The Sea Gulls are 2-0 after victories at No. 21 Swarthmore, 6-1, and Stockton, 6-0, over the weekend.
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Washington’s Kat Esposito, a highly decorated forward from Severna Park, missed all of last season due to injury.
As a sophomore in 2022 she was named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-Region V first team, moving up from the second team as a freshman, and in voting by the Centennial Conference’s 11 head coaches was placed on the all-conference first team.
Esposito (18-4-40) led the 9-9 Shore ladies in goals and points and tied for the team lead in assists. She appeared in all 18 games, with 15 starts.
She led the conference in points and tied Ursinus senior Jordan Moore for the lead in goals in a season.
Esposito tied Washington’s program record for goals in a season that All-American Laura Scimeca ‘05 established in 2002 and equaled the following year.
Scimeca established the school record of 42 points in a single season in 2002.
Scimeca also holds program records of 131 career points and 58 career goals.
Kent County High School graduate Christyl Arrabal ’00 holds the record of 31 career assists, and is second to Sciemca in career points (117) and career goals (43).
In 36 career games, Esposito has 32 goals and five assists for 69 points, ranking fifth in goals and seventh in points.
Esposito was the conference Rookie of the Year in 2021 when she led Washington in goals (13) and points (27).