CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The University of Pennsylvania field hockey team opened the 2022 campaign on Friday afternoon with the Ivy League/ACC Crossover at UNC, falling to No. 9 Louisville, 4-1.
 
Quaker Notemeal
*It is the second meeting for the Quakers and Cardinals, with Louisville winning both matchups.
 
*Penn outshot the Cards, 12-8, for the game with nine shots on target. Elita Van Staden led the team with four shots, while Gracyn Banks, Sophie Freedman, and Lis Zandbergen each added two.
 
*Zandbergen scored the lone Quaker goal of the game, her first collegiate goal of her career. She had two points off assists in her first season in 2021.
 
*The Quakers had nine penalty corners to Louisville's two.
 
*Frederique Wollaert and Hayley Hayden split time in the cage, combining for three saves. Louisville keeper, Sasha Elliott, made seven saves.
 
How It Happened
Louisville was the first the find the back of the cage on Friday, scoring with 8:46 remaining in the opening quarter. It wasn't long after that the Quakers fired off their first shot of the game when Zandbergen slung one from the top of the arc slightly wide right of the cage.
 
By the end of the first, the teams combined for just two shots which was enough for the Cards to take a 1-0 advantage into the break.
 
On the first penalty corner of the game in the second frame, Louisville built its lead to two. However, the Quakers answered with less than six minutes left in the half. On the first corner attempt at 5:56, Courtney Kenah inserted to the top of the arc to Banks. Quickly, Banks found Freedman who got a shot off that was blocked and set up another corner.
 
In similar fashion, Kenah found Banks again on the insert, taking the shot herself this time but was blocked. The deflected shot made its way to the stick of Zandbergen, shoving it past the out-stretched gloves of the Cards keeper for the first goal of the season.
 
Before the break, Louisville got off two shots on one possession. The first attempt was saved by Wollaert, but the deflected pass left an open cage for a quick shot on the backside to take a 3-1 lead into the half.
 
The third quarter was commanded by the Quakers, outshooting Louisville, 5-0, with four corners. However, the five attempts didn't find the back of the cage to hold the score at 3-1 for the final 15 minutes of play.
 
In the first two minutes of the fourth, the Cardinals maneuvered their first shot of the half, scoring their fourth and final goal of the game. Penn had several opportunities down the stretch to close the gap, but the Cardinal goalkeeper continued to hold strong in the cage.
 
Up Next
The Quakers are back in action on Sunday, taking on the host of the Crossover, No. 2 North Carolina. Start time is set for 1:30 p.m., at Karen Shelton Stadium.