It seemed like the field hockey team had hit their stride and returned to form, winning three games in a row and boosting their record above .500. But the Huskies hit yet another road block in the form of a three-loss week to ranked opponents.
On Wednesday, Northeastern lost the battle of the Huskies to No. 9 Connecticut, 4-1. After three games without allowing a goal, junior keeper Liz Centofanti allowed four goals while making eight saves. UConn took the lead early, notching their first goal in the ninth minute when Lizzy Peijs beat Centofanti in front of the net.
With four minutes left in the first half, junior forward Stephanie Casper scored her team-leading eighth goal of the season to knot the game at one. Casper scored on a penalty corner from senior co-captain Whitney Shean and junior midfielder Ashley D’Ambra.
In the second half UConn controlled the game, scoring the game-winning goal two minutes into the period. Connecticut’s Lauren Aird scored off a rebound of a Centofanti save. Aird scored the last two UConn goals as well, in the 48th and 50th minute to send NU home with a 4-1 loss.
Northeastern was held to just five shots on goal in the game, and Casper’s goal was the only shot in the first half.
“The goal wasn’t the only opportunity we had, but we should have controlled the game better,” Shean said. “UConn is a strong team but we just didn’t play as well as we could have and so the stats were lopsided.”
On Saturday, the Huskies put up a fight against No. 11 Indiana but were unable to pull out the win in overtime. Northeastern and Indiana played 56 minutes of scoreless field hockey before the Hoosiers’ Rachel Telian scored on a penalty corner.
However, with four seconds left on the clock junior assistant captain Ashley Webber broke through the Indiana defense to send the game into overtime.
“That goal was a diehard effort,” Shean said. “Her and the opponent were stick for stick and she came up with it. That was all heart and strength.”
It took less than four minutes of overtime for the Hoosiers to put the game away with a goal from Kate O’Connell.
On Sunday, the Huskies again tried their luck with a ranked opponent, but came away with their third loss of the week against No. 12 Louisville. The Cardinals won the game 3-1, to drop the Huskies record to 7-9 for the season.
Northeastern scored first when freshman forward Suzanne Hazelzet scored her fourth goal of the season in the 18th minute. The Huskies held on to the lead until the 45th minute when Louisville scored off a penalty corner. The Cardinals scored two more quick goals in the 56th and 58th minutes to send the Huskies back to Boston winless on the weekend.
“I am not really sure why we are so up and down,” Shean said. “It is such a tough season for all of us. As a leader I take full accountability but there is nothing we aren’t doing or trying to do.”
