Northeastern field hockey (9-9, 3-2 CAA) battled the Drexel University Dragons (13-7, 3-2 CAA) for a close 3-2 loss in the CAA semifinals, ending the Huskies’ season Nov. 7.
Northeastern scored both of its goals in the final quarter, one by sophomore defender Camille Armaganian on a penalty corner and the other by graduate student midfielder, forward and captain Lilly Smith less than 40 seconds later. It was Armaganian’s sixth and Smith’s second goal of the season.
In her final game as a Husky, graduate student goalkeeper Arabella Loveridge made four saves, two in the first quarter and two in the last.
Northeastern’s regular season game against the Dragons Oct. 24 ended with a 1-0 victory for the Huskies.
Drexel started the action with two shots on goal five and nine minutes in, both blocked by Loveridge. The Dragons’ third shot on goal was a penalty corner by senior defender and captain Natali Foster, earning them the game’s first point.
The Huskies did not manage a shot until the second period, when Armaganian made a penalty corner that Drexel sophomore goalkeeper Halle Geiger blocked.
Drexel failed a penalty corner of its own, and senior forward Emilia Adragna closed out the quarter with a shot blocked by a defender, leaving the score 1-0 at the end of the half.
Only two minutes into the third quarter, the Dragons doubled their lead. With one defender on junior forward Pili Lemoine just within the circle, she pulled to the left and made a shot as Loveridge slid forward on her knees to block it — but the ball flew inches wide of her shoulder to put the Dragons up 2-0.
The Huskies tried to pull ahead with three successive penalty corner shots, all of which were blocked by Geiger or defenders. Later, a shot by Adragna and yet another corner shot by Armaganian were blocked.
The final quarter was the most exciting: the Huskies weathered three back-to-back penalty shots, a regular shot and Drexel’s final goal in the first three minutes. That goal brought the score to a steep 3-0.
Northeastern’s last-ditch offensive effort almost tied up the score, but the Huskies still fell short of the Dragons. To kick off the attack, Armaganian scored on a penalty corner, assisted by junior midfielder, forward and captain Alex Mega and freshman midfielder Jessica Garden.
To maximize the Huskies’ chances of scoring, Loveridge was pulled from the goal immediately after that first point and was replaced by an extra field player. The gamble worked out less than a minute later when Smith scored the team’s second and final goal.
To keep the score close, freshman defender Lucy Walton made a defensive save in front of the unguarded goal, but the clock ran out three minutes later.
Drexel and Monmouth University (13-4, 5-0 CAA) fought for the CAA title Nov. 9 at 12 p.m., and the Dragons came away with the trophy thanks to their 3-2 victory.
