TURNER — One of the aftereffects of a state championship victory can be the target that teams feel the following season.

With much of its team back this year, the Leavitt field hockey team knows that opponents just might be eying them a little more intently. That means there can’t be much let down in the Hornets’ game.

“We talk about not letting up,” Leavitt coach Wanda Ward-McLean said. “With the state championships in the past, you get a target on your backs. Everybody wants to beat you. So we have to be conscious of doing the things we need to do to be successful.”

The Hornets left nothing to chance Saturday morning. Leavitt came out strong before a supportive homecoming crowd and blanked Camden 6-0.

“We don’t ever want to come into a game feeling cocky,” junior forward Sadie Royer said. “We have to be confident, and we have to come in comfortable. If we come in nervous, that will shake us up. If we’re comfortable and play like we know we can play, that’s usually good.”

Leavitt (4-2) built a 4-0 lead in the first half and then struck twice in a span of 26 seconds in the second half to dominate the Windjammers (2-4).

Royer finished with three goals. Kierstin Leclerc had a goal and two assists. Emily Shaw had a goal and an assist while Bri DiGone also scored.

“We’ve been working on cutting to the ball and being more aggressive to the ball and beating a defender and eliminating them,” said Ward-McLean. “We were much better with that today.”

Camden was held to just one shot in the game. Most of the time, the Windjammers would get the ball into the Leavitt defensive zone only to watch the Hornets win possession and send it the other way.

“The defense was solid and staying low and getting the ball,” said Ward-McLean. “They’d clear it to the side so people up front could move it down the field. We did a really good job with that.”

Royer scored just 4:06 into the game on a nice passing play with Leclerc.  Royer recieved the pass to the left of the net and then drove to the goal for the shot.

“We knew this team was going to be really aggressive, but we knew we could handle it,” said Royer.

With 19:14 left in the half, Kendra Gilbert put a shot on from the outside. Leclerc was in front to put in the rebound. Then less than four minutes later, DeGone scored with a shot in front for a 3-0 lead.

With 9:08 remaining in the half, Shaw worked her way through the Windjammer defense for a goal and 4-0 advantage.

“We did a good job carrying it up our sidelines and crossing it in,” Royer said. “We just have to make sure someone is at the goal. We do a good job talking and we’re a good communicating team.”

In the second half, Royer scored twice in 26 seconds. She tipped in a shot by Shaw with 18:14 left in the game. Then with 17:48 remaining, she converted a Leclerc pass for the 6-0 lead.

Camden goalie Desi Dodd had a nice effort for the Windjammers with eight saves. Sierra Santomango made one stop for the shutout for the Hornets.

After back-to-back losses to Winslow and Nokomis, the Hornets have now won two straight by a combined score of 9-0.

“The last two games have been really good,” said Royer. “We’re staying strong and going to the ball a lot better. We’ve been a lot more aggressive.”

kmills@sunjournal.com

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