Rutgers Unable to Stop Maine, Drops 4-2 Contest
Sep 20 | Field Hockey
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Seniors Brittany Bybel (Millville, N.J.) and Sarah Dunn (Eaton, N.Y.) each scored but it was not enough as Rutgers suffered a 4-2 loss to Maine on Sunday afternoon at Bauer Track and Field Complex.
"Today, we were very tentative. We had a chance to at least keep it close and be able to tie it up and go for it but we didn't," said RU head coach Liz Tchou. "We just are not executing the skill sets. Field hockey is all about being sharp in your skill sets and we are not there. We are over-compensating and that is what happens when you are sitting there and wanting it so badly."
The Black Bears (7-1) got on the board at the 11:52 mark, following a succession of shots. When Scarlet Knights freshman goalie Vickie Lavell (Haddon Township, N.J.) came out of the cage to play Kelly Newton, Maine forward Jocelyn Mitchell slipped it around for the first score of the game.
RU (0-8) tied the game at 1-1 nearly three minutes later on a hard-hit slap shot from Bybel perched on the left wing. Freshman Carlie Rouh (Berlin, N.J) assisted on the play.
Maine would draw three penalty corners over the next seven minutes, scoring on the third - a goal by Lelia Sacre- at the 21:12 mark to push the Black Bears ahead, 2-1.
The Scarlet Knights had a pair of golden opportunities on two consecutive corners with 10 minutes to go in the first half. The first shot attempt, a bullet from Chelsey Schwab (Pottstown, Pa.), was turned away by the glove of Maine netminder Brittany Fleck. The second corner resulted in a blast from Dunn, which sailed high over the cage.
The Black Bears made it a two-goal game early in the second half. Moving left to right, Courtney Veinotte scooted a pass to Newton who slipped the ball into the far left of the cage for a 3-1 lead.
RU responded behind Dunn's third goal of the season. After the stop on the penalty corner failed, junior Jenna Bull pushed the loose ball over to Dunn who dribbled a few times and then slapped in into the far corner to make it a 3-2 game.
A breakdown on the line resulted in Maine being able to add cushion on the scoreboard. Less than a minute after Rutgers goal, Maine forward Stephanie Gardiner broke downfield and passed ahead to Mitchell. Lavell attempted to stop the pass as Mitchell knocked it in the cage at the 55:21 mark. RU would have no shots attempts from that point on.
The Scarlet Knights are next in action on Friday, Sept. 25 hosting BIG EAST rival Georgetown at 4:00 p.m. The contest will be broadcast on KnightVision and available via www.scarletknights.com
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