Whitehall field hockey forward Cara Bonshak is learning how to operate in tight spaces, and that’s led to a bushel of goals to start the season.

Bonshak scored two more goals in last week’s 3-1 win over Nazareth. That gives her 11 on the season (she added another in their 1-0 win over Northampton), which puts her among the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference leaders.

In Thursday’s game against the Blue Eagles, Bonshak scored the Zephs first goal when she took a pass from Kylee Cunningham and found the back of the cage to give Whitehall a 1-0 lead. That goal was scored from in deep where bodies tend to cluster together as they fight for the ball. It’s here where Bonshak shines.

She scored both her goals from inside the circle, demonstrating her stick agility in a crowd.

The first goal was set up by a beautiful play by Kylee Cunningham who deflected an inbounds pass from Nazareth’s Talea Gordon who tried to loft it over her head.

Once she had possession, Kylee Cunningham took the ball and drove toward the goal, finding Bonshak.

“Kylee did a great job driving baseline with her speed, and crossed it, and put it on my stick, and I was able to put it in the back of the net,” said Bonshak.

Whitehall finished the game with 23 corners, the majority of those coming in the first half. However, with all those chances, they only had two goals to show for it, and the first one came early in the second half.

Head coach Jennifer Bodnar said that Nazareth had a strong defensive core unit that presented problems for the Zephs.

“We have to do a much better job of capitalizing on corners,” said Bodnar. “We got them in when it counted. We scored on two set corner plays that we talked about at halftime and it worked right away.”

Blue Eagles goalie Ashley Gangewere was a big factor as to why the Zephs weren’t able to convert. She turned away 10 chances in the game, coming up with a number of big saves.

Whitehall’s goalkeeper Kayla Nailor was also tested. Her challenge came early as Nazareth put the pressure on immediately after the opening whistle. She made a sprawling save during that surge to keep them off the scoreboard, finishing the game with four saves.

The Zephs opportunity to capitalize on another corner came shortly after the second half began.

Bonshak said that once they emerged from halftime, they figured out where their defenders were and made the necessary adjustments.

The junior forward said she made a pass out to defender Rachel Schannauer who gave the ball back to her on a “great cross” which was right on her stick.

“It was a great ball, and all I needed to do was lift it into the back of the cage,” said Bonshack.

That goal gave the Zephs a 2-1 lead, and they later added an insurance goal by Kylee Cunningham.

That goal was made possible by defender Vita Marks heads-up play, intercepting a clearing attempt by the Blue Eagles and then racing downfield, pushing the ball back into the Zephyrs offensive zone where Kylee Cunningham finished.

“Vita played a very strong game,” said Bodnar. “Her position at right halfback where she plays could be offensive, and she’s starting to gain a lot of confidence in her play, and being able to push up in that space and kind of do those carries, we definitely want her to do that.”

Even if they aren’t successful putting the ball in the back of the cage, it’s important to keep up the pressure by getting corners. Bodnar said that accumulating all those corners eventually tires a team.

“We definitely preach if you don’t get the shot you want, you draw the corner,” said Bodnar. “They definitely executed on that end of the game, but we would have liked to score on a few more of them.”

Bonshak credits her outside midfielders, center midfielders and forwards who have been getting her the ball inside the circle for those scoring opportunities.

“It’s definitely them who are bringing the ball to me, and I’m just finishing the ball,” said Bonshak.

She said that coming into the season she knew they were a strong team, and simply needed to utilize that strength every time they stepped onto the field. Bonshak believes the combination of good passing, aided by their team speed, has led to their scoring a lot of goals this season, paving the way for their success.

The Zephs followed that win with a tough 1-0 victory over Northampton. Bonshak scored the game winner on an assist from Taylor George. That wins raises their record to 6-0 in the EPC.