PHILADELPHIA – It was a hot battle at Ellen Vagelos Field on Sunday afternoon, as the University of Pennsylvania field hockey team led No. 9 Louisville in the third quarter before falling 2-1 to conclude the annual Ivy League-ACC Crossover.
Quaker Notemeal
*Penn's backline held Louisville scoreless for over 42 minutes of the contest.
*The Cardinals had seven shots on target, while the Quakers had two.
*Freshman
Emily Stafford scored her first collegiate goal in the 41st minute to give Penn the lead.
*Senior
Frederique Wollaert tended the cage for the full 60 minutes, making five saves.
How It Happened
Louisville commanded the ball for much of the first half. However, the Quaker defense held stout, only allowing five shots with just three on target, all of which were saved by Wollaert.
The Quakers saw their lone opportunity in the opening 30 minutes come with 3:30 left until the half when freshman
Sydney Mandato fired off a left side shot near the doorstep but was kicked away by the Cardinal keeper.
The action picked up in the third frame with four minutes left on the clock. Stafford stepped up defensively at the top of the Louisville circle, taking the ball back and weaving her way through traffic. Needing to just get past the keeper, she slung a shot past their gloves for her first collegiate finish and the 1-0 lead for the Quakers.
The advantage was short lived, as Louisville responded less than two minutes later to even it up.
Through the remainder of the third and much of the fourth, the Penn defense put up a wall including two more saves by Wollaert. Unfortunately, the wall broke down in the closing four minutes when a cross-circle pass was backhanded intro the cage for the Cardinal 2-1 lead.
In the final minutes, Penn was held without a shot.
Up Next
The Quakers continue their four-game homestand to start the season on Friday, hosting Georgetown for another non-conference matchup. Start time is set for 3 p.m., at Ellen Vagelos Field.
For the latest on Penn field hockey, follow @PennFieldHockey on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, and on the web at PennAthletics.com
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