Field hockey overcomes early deficit in 3-2 win

When a team scores three consecutive goals, there’s rarely much the opponent can do to get back into the game.

Yale learned that the hard way Saturday when Penn responded to an early deficit and pulled out a 3-2 win on the road. The Quakers finished their Connecticut trip the next day, falling 4-2 to Fairfield.

Yale (4-10, 1-4 Ivy) struck first when freshman Nicole Wells tipped a pass from Emily Schuckert into the goal following a penalty corner just under 20 minutes in.

Seven minutes later, Penn tied it when senior Sarah Hasson tipped a Julie Tahan blast past the Bulldogs goalkeeper.

The Quakers (7-7, 2-3) took the lead for good when Sunny Stirewalt buried another Tahan pass 1:40 after the break.

Twelve minutes later, Tahan finally tallied one of her own — her seventh goal of the season off an assist from Hasson.

That score proved to be crucial, as Yale’s Brooke Gogel deflected the ball high past the goalkeeper Carly Sokach to make it 3-2 only two minutes later. But the Quakers defense clamped down from that point on, with Sokach making eight saves total in the second half to prevent the comeback.

Yale appeared to tie it up in the final minutes, but the score was called off when it was ruled a Bulldogs player touched the ball with her foot.

Sunday, the Quakers were on the wrong side of a three-goal run, falling to Fairfield, 4-2, after holding a 2-1 halftime lead. Helene Caniglia and Katie Harrington both scored in the first half as Penn outshot the host Stags, 10-3.

Felicitas Heinen scored the game-winner for Fairfield (10-8) at the 49:19 mark. Goalie Maddy Sposito silenced Penn in the second half and totaled eight saves.

SEE ALSO

Field hockey’s Katie Harrington to face familiar foe

Penn field hockey senior is making her last year count

Quakers fall in double-overtime thriller

Penn field hockey out for revenge against Lions

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