KUTZTOWN, Pa. — The Warriors traveled to Kutztown on Wednesday night to take on the top-ranked Golden Bears, but a strong third quarter by the hosts swung the score their way in a 3-2 loss for the ESU field hockey team.
Kutztown got play started immediately, earning the game's first penalty corner in three minutes. Goalkeeper
Sydney Pope came up big in the first half plenty of times, with a save in the opening minute, and a shot off the corner hitting the post as well. Once both teams settled in, ESU started to control possession in the attacking end. After three corners in just over a minute, the Warriors finally broke through for the game's first goal. Back
Alex Bandura's first attempt wouldn't go, but she maintained possession and took another shot from the left side of the circle. Her retry beat Lorelai Lehenky to the right, and forward
Sydney Frantz was parked on the back post ready for the redirect to score with under five minutes remaining in the quarter.
ESU's lead wouldn't last long, however, as Kutztown evened the score 1:24 later. Pope would come up with three saves, but Jessica Traynor broke through for the Golden Bears to tie the game at one goal apiece. The next goal went ESU's way, jumping back in front later in the second quarter. ESU earned a penalty corner with four minutes remaining, and was given a penalty stroke nine seconds after. Defender
Bailey Griffin stepped up for the Warriors, burying a shot in the top left corner. Pope preserved the lead right before the buzzer, making her sixth save of the game in the final 30 seconds of the first half.
Out of the break, Kutztown battled back the same way after ESU got its first goal. The Golden Bears got two corners in the first minute and a half, with goalkeeper
Jet Vermeulen stopping the lone shot on goal she faced in that sequence. Vermeulen made two more stops before Kutztown got back on the board, with Traynor striking again. After she deflected a ball from Julia Traynor, Anna Harris scored a similar goal two minutes later on an Ellie Myers assist to make it 3-2.
The two teams traded chances in the final frame, though Kutztown kept up the pressure and controlled the majority of possession and chances, including a shot Vermeulen stopped for her sixth save with five minutes left, leading up to the final moments. ESU pulled Vermeulen for an extra attacker and earned a corner in the final minute, but the Golden Bears' defense held up to preserve the score.
UP NEXT
The Warriors wrap up the regular season with two home games against conference opponents as they jockey for position in the upcoming PSAC Tournament. They'll host Indiana (Pa.) at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31, at Whitenight Field.
