Heemskerk’s Second-Half Hat-Trick Sends Newberry Into the Postseason on a High
Lander held Newberry scoreless for a half. Then Finet Heemskerk happened.
The fourth-ranked Wolves were kept without a shot in the first 30 minutes on Tuesday night at Setzler Field, and Lander went into half-time level in their regular-season finale. That was as good as it got for the visitors. Heemskerk scored three times after the break, the second in the 42nd minute off a penalty corner, and sealed the hat-trick with just under three minutes left. Three goals, one half, game over.
The final numbers tell the story of a second half that got away from Lander. Newberry finished with a 14-4 edge in shots and 14-6 in penalty corners. Lander’s resistance was real for 30 minutes, but you can’t defend that many corners forever, and Heemskerk made them pay.
Newberry finish the regular season 15-1 overall and a perfect 12-0 in the South Atlantic Conference. That’s a statement record to take into the postseason. Lander finish 9-7 and 7-5 in the SAC, and their season isn’t over: they’ve secured a home quarterfinal in the SAC tournament next Tuesday at Frank Hill Stadium, with the opponent and game time still to be announced.
For Newberry, this was exactly the kind of send-off a top-four side wants. No drama, no late scare, just a star forward doing what star forwards do when the game is there to be won.
