Devan Schulte
Contributing Writer
After defeating Holy Cross 7-0 to increase their record to 7-5 for the season on Oct. 12, the Bison failed to put a goal away in the next three consecutive games. The field hockey team still holds a spot in the Patriot League Tournament despite three tough losses to Penn State (0-2), Boston University (0-2), and New Hampshire (0-3) this past week.
Abby Watson ’16 was named Patriot League Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Week after recording an impressive hat trick against the Holy Cross Crusaders. The team put together an impressive offensive effort, as four different players were able to put points on the board for the Bison. The team also showed strength on defense, allowing the Crusaders only one shot the entire game.
The Orange and Blue then faced a tougher opponent in No. 8 Penn State when the Nittany Lions traveled to Lewisburg on Oct. 13 to take on the confident Bison. After letting up an early goal off a corner, the Bison continued to fight against their ranked opponent, but were hurt again 19 minutes in when Penn State secured a second goal. Goalkeeper Erica Perrine ’14 refused to allow any more goals, and the defensive effort of the Bison greatly improved in the second half. The team managed to prevent the Nittany Lions from capitalizing on any more corners, one of the opponent’s strong suits.
“This game was very important because it gave us the opportunity to prepare for our other Patriot League games by exposing our weaknesses and by practicing what we are good at against a very competitive team,” Perrine said.
On Oct. 19, the Orange and Blue headed to Boston University where their defensive efforts were once again put to the test. After falling behind 1-0 early in the match, the Bison kept the game tight and had a few opportunities to tie up the score. Unfortunately, the Terrier goalkeeper retained a shutout by stopping any of the Bison’s dangerous chances. Although the Orange and Blue continued to battle, Boston managed to put away a second goal and increase their lead in the second half. The Bison did not manage to find the back of the net for the remainder of the game but still remain confident after gaining their first loss in Patriot League play.
“Losing to BU this weekend gives us the fuel to come out and prove to ourselves that we can beat them when we see them again in playoffs,” Emily Hitchings ’16 said.
The Bison continued their journey to New Hampshire on Oct. 20 to take on the Wildcats. Coming out strong, the Orange and Blue generated chances on goal but could not put any past the Wildcats goalkeeper. Perrine was unable to hold off the Wildcats for long, as New Hampshire found the back of the net 23:50 in and came out extremely strong in the second half to score two more times.
Although the Bison left New Hampshire with a loss, the team is ready to prepare for another tough Patriot League opponent this weekend in Washington D.C. as the Orange and Blue take on American tomorrow at noon.
“We are stronger than I’ve ever seen my four years playing, and if there is anything that we can take from our game against Boston, it’s that we have a real shot of winning the tournament this year,” Perrine said.