The Lancaster Bible College Field Hockey team squared off against the Phoenix of Wilson College to open their 2023 United East Conference play on Wednesday night. The Phoenix came out victorious, winning 4-0. The Chargers drop to 4-10 overall and 0-1 in conference play while the Phoenix improve to 8-4 overall and 1-1 in conference.
 
How It Happened: It was the Phoenix who started the game applying pressure to the Chargers' defense, but doing what they do best, the defense stood tall, giving the Phoenix little to no good scoring opportunities. That was until just before the three-minute mark that the Phoenix found a hole in the defense off a penalty corner to give them their first lead of the game.
 
Down 1-0 with the remaining twelve minutes of the first period, the Chargers didn't back down as they continued to make defensive stops while pushing the tempo offensively, getting down the field several times towards the end of the period. The second period opened the same way as both teams traded sides of the field. With neither of the defenses wanting to give up a goal, the Phoenix proved to be too much as they got another goal around the eight-minute mark to give them a two-goal advantage. Again, the Chargers responded with offensive advances of their own, but couldn't find the back of the goal, sending the teams to halftime with the Phoenix ahead 2-0.
 
The second half remained much of the same as the Chargers' defense did their best to limit the Phoenix's offensive threats while looking to make an offensive push of their own. As the two teams continued to battle it out, it was a Phoenix penalty shot in the middle of the third period that slowed any momentum for the Chargers as they found themselves down 3-0 with just over twenty minutes left to play in the game.
 
While the Chargers looked to gain any momentum they could, the Phoenix offense proved to be too much as they got their final goal in the fourth period to seal the game 4-0 and give the Chargers their first conference loss of the season.
 
By the Numbers: The Phoenix outshot the Chargers 16-2… sophomore Amanda Hoover racked up eight total saves… the Phoenix had 11 penalty corners to the Chargers' three.
 
Information to Know: The Chargers have just two more regular season games to go, finishing out 2023 with their last two United East Conference games against Keystone on Saturday, October 21 which happens to be Senior Night as well, and then Cedar Crest on October 24…. the Phoenix have only squared off with the Chargers twice now with the program's first matchup going to the Phoenix in a 7-0 win on October 20, 2022.
 
Up Next: The Chargers welcome conference opponent Keystone to Donald H. Funk Field on Saturday, October 21 at 11:00 a.m. in celebration of Senior Day and Staff & Faculty Appreciation Day.