St. Andrews’s got off to a disappointing start to their Independent conference schedule with a 10-6 loss at Tower Hill on Tuesday. The score is a bit misleading, as St. Andrew’s was down at one point by 9-1, until Tower Hill replaced goalies. St. Andrew’s did show their spirit by coming back to within 10-6 with a couple of minutes to play, but could not get any closer as Tower Hill did a good job controlling the ball.

St. Andrew’s was beaten in virtually every facet of the game (offense, defense, ground balls, clears, penalties, faceoffs). St. Andrew’s surprisingly was very lethargic in the first 2 quarters and dug themselves a hole that they could not get out of. This is a disturbing pattern as St. Andrew’s has fallen behind in every game this season. The road does not get any easier with the next 2 games against Caesar Rodney and Tatnall.

The lone bright spot in this game, in my opinion, was the play of sophomore defenseman Ben McDonald. McDonald was all over the field creating havoc and turnovers and his intensity is a good model for the team to follow. Unfortunately, the team lacks the talent and depth to be able to overcome a lack of intensity and focus. There is enough individual talent on this team however, that if they can come together as a team, they can turn this season around.

The coaches and players will be looking for a much improved performance against Caesar Rodney, a pivotal game to get some positive momentum for this season.