Kenyon field hockey opened their 2021 season with a pair of away games: a 1-0 win against Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU) on Sept. 1 and a 3-0 loss against Washington and Lee University (Va.) on Sept. 4. 

In the win against OWU, the Ladies outshot the Battling Bishops 15-7, with senior captain Sarah Metzmaier ’22 scoring the game-winning goal. “We were able to achieve success in our season opener by balancing our strong foundation of experienced players with our talented underclassmen,” Metzmaier said after the win. Additionally, goalkeeper Payton Doan ’23 posted a two-save shutout. The Ladies have been historically successful against OWU, winning 20 of their 24 matchups. They’ve been able to dominate both at home (10-1) and on the road (10-3). This victory puts their current winning streak against OWU at two games. 

Unfortunately, their subsequent loss to the Generals was lopsided. Washington & Lee outshot Kenyon 26 to 4, forcing Doan and goalkeeper Megan Lydon ’25 to make a combined 11 saves. Saturday’s game reflected a relatively unsuccessful recent history against Washington & Lee, who have won four of the past five matchups between the two squads. Away games have presented an especially difficult challenge for the Ladies, who have gone winless in their last three games in Lexington, Va.

As they continue this season, Metzmaier hopes that the team will “grow together.” 

“We have faced a variety of changes over the past two years, but one constant has been our ability to find the best in each other and work towards a common goal of success,” she said. “Beyond that, I am most excited to be back on the field doing what I love the most: winning.”

The Ladies will host their home opener against Centre College at 7:00 p.m. on Sept. 11, hoping to break a one-game losing streak against the Colonels.