HAMDEN — Junior forward Cameron Brower lines up beside the opposing cage, her feet planted firmly — one on the blue turf out of bounds, the other stretched inbounds on the field of play.
She strikes the ball with a fierce but controlled sliding hit, keeping it low as it rolls toward the front of the cage. Freshman midfielder Luca Donati flattens her stick along the green turf, deflecting the ball into a prime shooting position. Freshman defender Francisca Eschoyez taps it once, making a faint click, then winds up, pulling her stick behind her head and swinging through.
WHACK!
The ball soars through defenders, past Georgetown’s sophomore goaltender Ella Fahey, but it misses, landing in the netting behind the cage.
No goal.
In Friday’s game against Georgetown, Quinnipiac field hockey struggled to find the back of the cage, particularly on penalty corners. Despite earning 13 opportunities, the Bobcats couldn’t convert a single one.
“We were looking to hit the ball, drag the ball and get in there and get some rebounds,” head coach Nina Klein said. “But unfortunately the execution just wasn’t there today.”
Over the course of four quarters, plus an additional three minutes of overtime, the Bobcats managed to score just once — on their first shot of the game by Brower just over two minutes in.
However, the Bobcats were effective in creating quality scoring chances off attacking penalty corners, utilizing a set play drawn up by the coaching staff.
This strategy, which featured Brower, Donati and Eschoyez, generated several key chances, but Georgetown’s defense stood strong, led by Fahey, who made nine saves throughout the game.
“You can compare (the set play) to lacrosse when they have the free position. There’s definitely more plays in terms of what we have to draw up as coaches,” Klein said. “But yeah, it’s kind of just like a quick power play.”
This play for the Bobcats often targets a designated shooter — Eschoyez, who, as a freshman, leads the team in scoring.
“It’s just a sweep, it’s not that difficult to do,” Eschoyez said. “I think the coach really likes it, and if the coach likes it, I like it.”
What proved difficult for Quinnipiac was scoring, an area that is crucial in a close, low-scoring game. After struggling to find the net for much of the match, the Hoyas struck back in the third quarter with a goal from freshman forward Riley Fitzgerald, tying the game at one.
The Bobcats’ second-half woes continued, as the team wasn’t able to convert offensively to support their strong defensive play from the first half, limiting the Hoyas to little attacking zone time.
With a tie at the final whistle, both teams headed to overtime in search of the game-deciding goal. However, it was Georgetown that connected on an offensive rush, when sophomore midfielder Elena Perez Alejandro scored, securing the victory for Georgetown.
“We had a really good third and fourth quarter against Yale, and now we had the good first and second,” Klein said. “Now it’s just piecing together close to 60 minutes.”
Quinnipiac will look to do just that on, Oct. 6, when it will host Lehigh at 1 p.m.
