Field hockey: Newport wins big, 10-0

Joseph Boo

NEWPORT BEACH - Well, at least Newport Harbor High’s field hockey

team got to work on its penalty corners.

The host Sailors scored early and often against an overwhelmed

Westminster squad in a nonleague season opener for both squads Friday.

Newport coasted to a 10-0 victory at Harper Community Center.

Newport (1-0) had 25 penalty corners while Westminster couldn’t muster

a shot. For the Lions, just showing up was a victory in itself as the

field hockey program at Westminster came perilously close to having its

plug pulled before Lions Coach Diane Pendergrass righted the ship.

Westminster scored a goal against Newport last year, which was a

seasonal high point for the Lions. But chances of that happening this

time were nil. The closest Westminster came to Newport’s goal was on

face-offs.

The Sailors’ Brianne Parmeter scored her team’s first goal of the year

in the opening minute off an assist by Kim Erickson. Junior Lauren

Birchfield had Newport next two goals, with assists from Erickson and

Megan Moss.

Sophomore Kaley Nix had a team-high four goals, including both of

Newport’s goals in the second half. Erickson had three assists, and

Elizabeth Evans had one score and one assist.

Sophomore Chanelle Sladics and junior Allison McKenzie recorded two

impressive unassisted goals. Sladics took the ball through two defenders

on a breakaway to score. McKenzie flipped a shot over the goalie for her

score.

Newport had an 8-0 halftime lead, and goalie Amanda Wittman got a

good-natured cheer for her first-half shutout. But the fact that Wittman

or Chloe Cox, Newport’s second-half goalie, didn’t see any shots might

not help when the Sailors play powerful Edison on Tuesday.

“We’re kind of at a disadvantage right now,” Wolfe said. “We didn’t

get any action, so that’s putting our goalie at a disadvantage.”

And an inexperienced Westminster team did not provide a good barometer

for a Newport outfit in flux, especially with a starting midfielder, Lisa

Owad, out for most of the season with mononucleosis.

“We’re just trying to get the right combination,” Wolfe said. “We’re

rebuilding, but so are the others. Even though we have some core players

from last year, we have a lot of girls called up from JV team. The

chemistry is good so far. We just have to find time to get in some work.”

Coach Wolfe figures to find out more about her team in the Los Angeles

Field Hockey Association Tournament today at Westminster High. Newport

will play in four 25-minute scrimmages, with top teams Edison, Marina and

Huntington Beach expected to be there.