Sep 17, 2008
No. 14 AU Field Hockey Falls Just Short at No. 2 Maryland, 2-1
Sept. 17, 2008
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The No. 14 ranked American University field hockey team dropped a 2-1 decision at No. 2 Maryland on Wednesday in non-conference action at the Terrapins Lacrosse and Field Hockey Complex. The Eagles are now 3-3 on the season, dropping all three contests to nationally ranked top-10 opponents, while the Terrapins improved to 6-1.
Neither team was able to get much going in the first half of play. Maryland outshot AU by a 5-3 count but both sides entered the intermission with zeroes on the scoreboard.
AU held possession early in the second half as Irene Schickhardt sent in a shot that was blocked and then sent in a penalty corner that resulted in a Christine Fingerhuth blocked shot. AU would two more penalty corners over the next five minutes, both resulting in shots, but could not beat Maryland goalie Alicia Grater. The Terrapins regained an offensive edge at the 50 minute mark and broke the scoreless tie at 54:05 when Ellen Ott scored her second goal of the season on an assist from Alexis Pappas off a penalty corner.
Maryland would continue to press, forcing AU keeper Alyssa Poorman to make two tough saves before they extended the lead to 2-0 just over four minutes later. Nicole Muracco tallied her fifth of the season when she batted a loose ball out of the air for the goal.
The Eagles were awarded a penalty corner at the 61:46 mark that resulted in a blocked shot taken by Fingerhuth. Ann van Erp took her lone shot of the day at the 66 minute mark that was stopped by Alicia Grater, Savannah Graybill took a whack at it and was stopped, but Fingerhuth was there to collect the ball in the scramble in front of the net for her team-leading fifth goal of the season to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Maryland was able to hold of AU for the final four minutes to preserve the win.
"I am really proud of the way we played today," said AU head coach Steve Jennings. "We pushed the No. 2 team in the country to the brink but unfortunately we couldn't capitalize and they finished two, and that was the game. I think we took a major step forward today and learned a lot about ourselves, even in defeat."
Poorman finished with nine saves in goal for the Eagles, while Grater collected three stops for the Terrapins. Maryland had a slight 6-5 edge in penalty corners.
AU will return to action on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 1 p.m. when they host No. 7 James Madison at Jacobs Field.
