By Jon Litchfeld
The Fairfield field hockey team gathered inside their goal and let out a collective screech as part of their game preparation Sunday afternoon. The tactic may have helped the Stags, but Northeastern was still able to notch the 2-0 victory on a soggy Sweeney Field.
“It was a win,” said a dissatisfied Northeastern head coach Cheryl Murtagh following the game that improved the Huskies to 12-2 (2-0 America East). “Our fundamentals broke down and we were hurting on defense.”
The game looked like it would be a one-sided contest as the Huskies got on the board early. Sophomore Sara Weber delivered the ball to a wide-open Maureen Connelly and after a brief battle, Connelly left Fairfield goalie Lauren Thomas sprawling and netted the goal at 27:53.
Fairfield (4-8) rebounded from the NU goal by pressuring the Husky defense for the next several minutes. The Stags threatened with a penalty corner at 23:00 but Fairfield’s Dani Brown couldn’t get a shot off. After another penalty corner three minutes later, Fairfield’s Andrea Caputa was able to get a shot off, but Husky stopper Emily Roy went to her right and booted the ball out of the zone.
Northeastern took control for the remainder of the half but Thomas and the Fairfield defense were able to hold off the Husky attack. NU aggressors took multiple shots, but the Stags goalie continually made saves and Fairfield defender Stephanie Shield also broke up several NU plays.
“My goalie played outstanding,” said Fairfield head coach Jackie Leonard about Thomas, who stopped eight NU shots. “We also got some lucky bounces that went wide instead of into the goal.”
The 10th-ranked Huskies wouldn’t be denied before halftime, however. Following a penalty corner, Webber found a wide-open Sarah Broderick on the right side of the Fairfield goal and Broderick made the score 2-0 heading into the break.
The two teams battled to a stalemate in the second half. NU took eight shots but none found the goal.
“We knew they would do that and we needed to open up space for ourselves,” Murtagh said.
Fairfield managed two shots in the second half but couldn’t get on the board.
“We almost achieved our goals,” Leonard said, who added that Fairfield was aiming to keep Northeastern under three goals and avoid the shutout. “Playing the No. 10 team in the nation, we’re not coming in trying to win.”
The Northeastern seniors called a brief team meeting following the game that Murtagh called a credit to the team’s leaders.
“They know when they played well and when they didn’t and they know they need to step up their game a level for UConn,” Murtagh said.
Fortunes were different for the Huskies Saturday against America East opponent University of Vermont (4-10, 1-2) at Sweeney Field. The Huskies dominated play and triumphed convincingly, 4-0.
Sophomore Mari Creatini scored the only goal the Huskies needed with 13:55 remaining in the first half and the NU defense only allowed four shots on goal during the game.
Creatini took the pass from Connelly and beat Catamount goalie Holly Colberg to find the net for the first score. Three minutes later, Connelly took one in by herself, evading Colberg to net a goal and make the score 2-0.
Creatini and Connelly connected again at the beginning of the second half and Webber added more insurance to make it a 4-0 game with 20:35 remaining. Northeastern outshot Vermont 21-4. Husky goaltenders Roy and Diana Nelson split duties in the game but neither had to make a single save.
The Huskies had their hands full on Wednesday with 20th-ranked Harvard (6-3) on Crimson turf. Sophomore Liane Dixon netted two goals late in the second half as the Huskies eked out the 2-1 win over the Ivy League opponent.
Following a penalty corner, Dixon was able to tap in an Arrindell shot and tie the game at 1-1 with 19:23 remaining in the game. Dixon put the Huskies ahead ten minutes later, scoring unassisted.
Harvard’s Philomena Gambale scored the lone Crimson goal with 27:07 remaining in the game.
