Late-game rally not enough for field hockey, falls to No. 1 UConn

No. 9 Stanford field hockey (7-3, 0-1 American East) split a pair of games in the northeast over the weekend, dropping a 3-2 decision in a come-from-behind effort against No. 1 UConn (9-0, 0-0 Big East) before rebounding with a 1-0 win against UMass (5-4, 1-1 Atlantic 10).

The Huskies got off to a 2-0 lead in the first half off of two goals from Sophie Bowden in the 5th and 31st minutes. The top-ranked team clearly outplayed Stanford on both ends of the field during the first half, outshooting the Cardinal 9-1. UConn also notched 6 penalty corners while preventing Stanford from making a single attempt at one before the break.

Based off of the first half, the game appeared to be a repeat of the last matchup between the two teams during the second round of the NCAA tournament, during which UConn scored 3 unanswered goals in the first 61 minutes of the game before Stanford netted its first and only goal.

The Cardinal would not let history repeat itself — at least in terms of the score.

The squad capitalized on a 4-2 penalty corner advantage in the second half to score the 2 goals it needed to tie the game.

Senior defender Jessica Chisholm notched the Cardinal’s first goal of the day off of a corner in the 50th minute, bringing Stanford within striking distance of the Huskies. Seventeen minutes later, junior defender Caroline Beaudoin equalized the score with just over three minutes to play in game, seemingly forcing the game into overtime.

Despite its late-game rally, the Cardinal were unable to prevent a last-minute push by the Huskies. With just under two minutes left in regulation and 126 seconds after Beaudoin’s goal, Charlotte Vietner, the Huskies’ star player, dribbled around Stanford’s defenders and sent a shot past keeper Dulcie Davies to score her 16th goal of the season, giving UConn a 3-2 advantage that would win them the game.

While UConn holds a 2-1 series advantage over Stanford since last season, Friday’s game nonetheless reiterated how competitive the matchup has become. Both games in 2014 ended in 3-1 scores, with the Cardinal taking the first — upsetting the then-No.2 Huskies, the highest ranked opponent the program had even beaten — and UConn winning the second in the NCAA tournament.

The UConn game also marked the second time Stanford has lost this season against a top-5 opponent, both times due to late goals. The first of such defeats was the Cardinal’s season-opener against Syracuse, a 2-1 overtime loss.

Stanford does, however, head back West with a win in store, after the team blanked UMass in a 1-0 victory. Senior attacker Lauren Becker scored the game-winner in the 45th minute, her third goal of the season, after she redirected teammate Catherine Dawson’s shot to the right goal post.

The Cardinal dominated all areas of the game, holding a 17-5 shot advantage and earning 11 penalty corners to UMass’ 5. The defense also protected Davies in the goal, as she was not tested and did not even have to make a save in the win.

Next up during the Cardinal’s seven-game away stretch is a matchup against UC Davis this Friday, Oct. 2 at 4 p.m.

Contact Alexa Philippou at aphil723 ‘at’ stanford.edu.