Field Hockey Drops One-Goal Game to #5 Tufts
PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – The University of Rochester field hockey team went toe-to-toe with 5th-ranked Tufts University on Sunday afternoon, ultimately falling by one goal, dropping a 3-2 decision at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
UR’s goals came from Bella Militi and Anya Arseneau, while Delainey Hebble added an assist in the defeat.
Claire Gavin scored twice for the Jumbos and added an assist on the third goal by Lainie Pearson.
The loss snaps a 5-match win streak for Rochester (8-5), while Tufts (8-2) rebounds after dropping its second game of the season earlier this week. All five of Rochester’s losses this season have been decided only by one goal, with the Yellowjackets also picking up five one-goal victories so far in 2023.
For the second straight day, neither team eclipsed 10 shots in the contest, as Rochester and Vassar combined for just 11 total shots in Saturday’s matchup which ended in favor of UR by a 1-0 score.
On Sunday, the Yellowjackets ended with eight shot attempts, six on goal, while Tufts earned only five shot attempts, three of which were on target. Rochester also led in corners, earning seven to the Jumbos’ four.
It was a defensive slugfest in the opening half, as only one shot was taken, that by Tufts in the 22nd minute. Over the opening 30 minutes, Tufts added two corners and Rochester had one, with the game sitting scoreless.
Things opened up a bit in the third quarter, with Rochester earning three corners in the first five minutes. Two of the corners ended with Zoe Conomikes shots from the wing, but both were blocked away by the defense.
In the 36th minute, Conomikes dribbled into the circle from the right side and was 1-on-1 with goalie Lydia Eastburn and saw her shot saved, but the loose ball sat in the circle and Militi was on it, slipping a rebound shot into the goal for the 1-0 lead.
The lead did not last long though, as Gavin benefitted from a UR turnover deep in its defensive zone to gain possession. The Tufts junior took a couple of steps inside the circle and unleashed a hard backhand blast which caromed in off of the blocker of UR’s Kara Houston.
Neither team could muster any offense the rest of the quarter and the teams headed to the fourth deadlocked at 1-1.
Tufts took the lead early in the fourth quarter when Gavin notched her second score of the game. Kylie Rosenquest sent a hard ball into the circle from the right corner that was settled back to Gavin by Hannah Biccard, with Gavin one-timing the ball from nine yards just inside the right post.
The Jumbos kept up the momentum scoring on their next shot just 43 seconds later. Gavin was the one sending the cross in this time, finding Pearson at the left post for a 2-yard tap in, boosting the visitors lead to 3-1.
Rochester turned up its offensive pressure in the following minutes with three straight corners and multiple shots on goal.
Maeve Fogarty broke free in close and fired a hard backhand on goal in the 55th minute, Arseneau took a right wing lifted shot while Hebble added a sweep shot at the cage, with all three attempts saved by Eastburn.
Shortly following the flurry of corners, Hebble gained possession near midfield after intercepting a Tufts pass and threaded a beautiful 15-yard pass to Arseneau who was streaking towards the goal. The sophomore redirected the pass perfectly between the feet of Eastburn, cutting the Jumbo lead down to one.
The Jumbos defense clamped down after that, not allowing UR in close the rest of the way despite a late green card which put Tufts down a player over the final two minutes.
Rochester is back in action on Wednesday evening with a local matchup at St. John Fisher University starting at 7 pm.