PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania field hockey team played its seventh nationally ranked opponent out of its first nine games on Friday afternoon at Ellen Vagelos Field, falling to No. 15 Harvard, 2-1, in Ivy League play.
Â
Quaker Notemeal
*
Courtney Kenah scored the lone goal for the Quakers, marking her team-leading fourth of the season.
Â
*The Crimson edged out Penn in shot attempts, 12-9, and had a 9-6 advantage in shots on target.
Â
*The Quakers had eight corners in the game, six of which came in the second half, scoring on one. Harvard only had two corners for the game, both in the first quarter.
Â
*Sophomore
Frederique Wollaert tended the net for the full 60 minutes, making seven saves. Through six games in the cage, she has 29 saves.
Â
How It Happened
The Crimson took an early advantage in the game, scoring just three minutes in. It was one of six shots Harvard had in the first quarter before the Penn defense settled in and only allowed six shots through the remainder of the contest. A big part of the reason the score held at one for the rest of the quarter was Wollaert, who made five saves in the frame.
Â
Harvard's 1-0 lead held until the half, and then the Crimson extended their advantage in the 38th minute with their second tally of the game.
Â
With time ticking down on the Quakers, hope was restored with less than four minutes left off a penalty corner. Kenah inserted a ball to the top of the circle, where senior captain
Gracyn Banks sent a hard left-side shot that the Crimson keeper saved. However, the deflected save made its way to Kenah's stick on the doorstep, and she stuck it into the wide-open cage for her fourth goal of the year.
Unfortunately, the Quakers couldn't get off another attempt in the closing minutes and the score held at 2-1.
Â
Up Next
The Quakers continue action this weekend, hosting their annual Believe in Brynn game at noon on Sunday. Wear your purple and come out to support a great cause as Penn takes on LIU.
Â
#FightOnPenn
Â
