Sep 26, 2008
No. 14 AU Field Hockey Suffers Third Straight Loss Falling to Richmond, 2-1
Sept. 26, 2008
WASHINGTON - The No. 14 American University field hockey team took an early lead but could not hold on, as Richmond used a pair of penalty corners to rally in the second half and take a 2-1 win at Jacobs Field on Friday. The Eagles dropped their third straight contest and fell to 3-5 on the season, while Richmond improved to 3-5 with the win.
American controlled the pace of the game early on and pressured the Richmond defense. Savannah Graybill took the first shot of the contest six minutes in that was sent just wide of the cage. The Eagles got their next opportunity at the 9:30 mark when they were awarded a penalty corner that resulted in a shot from Jesika Pufnock that forced Spiders keeper Becca Weaver to make a stop. AU would not waste its third opportunity, as a cutting Graybill worked herself to the left of the Richmond goal, pulling out Weaver. Graybill chipped her shot into the open net and gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead 11:45 into the game.
Richmond found themselves on the defensive side of the ball for much of the first half as American held the majority of the possession. The Spiders finally registered their first shot at 32:09 when Dani Pycroft sent a shot wide of the net, but the Eagles defense thwarted the majority of the Richmond attack in the opening 35 minutes, allowing just two total shots.
Penalty corners changed the face of the game and it happened in the opening minutes of the second half. Richmond was awarded its second corner of the game at 36:33. Jess Weidner inserted the ball into play and Alex Malatesta took a shot that was redirected by Hannah Hess for the equalizer at 37:06. Just over a minute later the Spiders were awarded another penalty corner, taken by Pycroft. The ball was inserted to Malatesta, who set up a shot for Sarah Blythe-Wood. Blythe-Wood's shot found the back of the goal and Richmond led 2-1 with 32:26 left in the game.
Richmond rattled of three more shots before the AU offense began to press. A couple of Eagles corners resulted in three shots, but only one was on goal and Weaver sent Irene Schickhard's shot out of bounds. Graybill just missed high at 51:08 on a reverse stick shot, and AU was running out of time.
The Eagles had one last chance to send the game into overtime, as Christine Fingerhuth sprung free of the Spiders defense and went in alone on goal, but Weaver came out and stuffed the shot and secured the Richmond victory.
American held a 12-11 advantage in shots and a 7-4 edge in penalty corners. Alyssa Poorman made three saves in goal for the Eagles, while Weaver stopped two shots on goal.
The Eagles will open up the Patriot League portion of their schedule on Oct. 4 at Jacobs Field against Colgate. The game begins at 1 p.m. and will be the Phil Jacobs stop on the Bender World Tour.
