The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News

The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News

The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News

Field hockey loses three

Husky fans have witnessed the unthinkable. The one sport Northeastern sports fans rely on for national rankings and conference championships lost three consecutive games. Northeastern’s very own Roman Empire seems poised to fall.

The towers haven’t crashed just yet, but the pillars are shaky. After a 5-1 loss to No. 7 Penn State last week the Huskies lost to No. 8 Boston College and No. 16 Providence College. Northeastern fell out of the top 20 for the first time since 2000 and is ranked No. 21.

BC tagged Northeastern for another five goals as the Huskies fell 5-2. Sophomore midfielder Ashley Bascetta gave NU an early lead off of a penalty corner, scoring in the second minute with assists going to senior co-captain Sarah Eckhoff and junior assistant captain Ashley D’Ambra. Freshman forward Suzanne Hazelzet attempted to get the Huskies back in the game at the beginning of the second half, scoring her first collegiate goal less than three minutes into the second half. That got the Huskies back within a goal, but BC answered with two more goals.

Sophomore goalie Colleen Duffy gave up five goals for the second consecutive game, though she also made five saves.

In the first home game of the season against Providence the Huskies gave up a goal in the opening minute of play off a penalty corner. In the 24th minute, junior forward Stephanie Casper scored after a scramble in front of the Providence net to tie the game.

After Duffy allowed two more Providence goals, Bascetta brought the Huskies within one on a goal assisted by Casper. But NU fell to the Friars 3-2, giving the Huskies their longest losing streak since 2000.

“For us a lot of this is mental,” Casper said. “We have to get back to basics, work on the fundamentals. The first touches and passes are important.”

The Huskies pulled themselves out of the rubble with a 3-1 win over Holy Cross Sunday.

“It’s good to have a game right away after losses,” said head coach Cheryl Murtagh. “We are solid players that can compete. If we weren’t talented, playing again so soon would be a struggle.”

The Huskies needed only three shots on goal to score three times and get their second win of the season. Bascetta got the scoring started in the sixth minute off a Husky penalty corner, assisted by D’Ambra and Eckhoff. Bascetta scored again in the 26th minute assisted by Eckhoff and senior back Natalie Singelais.

On the third shot of the game Eckhoff scored off a penalty corner, assisted by Singelais and senior co-captain Whitney Shean.

After giving up 13 goals in three games Murtagh benched Duffy, giving junior Meaghan Dorsi her first collegiate start in goal. She earned the win despite giving up a goal. Senior goalie Liz Centofanti saw her first action of the season in the second half, making one save.

“Whoever steps up will play,” Murtagh said. “Colleen has struggled, so they will all see playing time. We will use them all until something works.”

Murtagh is also making some changes to the Husky defense, giving Hazelzet the start.

“We have used some subs to find a lineup that works for us,” Murtagh said. “Suzanne went back and did some good things for us. Once the ball gets behind us we seem to get unsettled.”

The Huskies will try to halt their collapse when they face UMass Saturday at 1 p.m. at Sweeney Field.

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