St. Mary's City, Md. – The York College field hockey squad suffered a hard luck 3-2 loss on the road Saturday as St. Mary's College (Md.) bested the Spartans in the Capital Athletic Conference contest. With the loss, the Green and White drop to 2-3 (1-1 CAC) on the year while the Seahawks improve to a flawless 4-0 (1-0 CAC).

The hosts jumped out front early in the game, posting the opening score just 4:45 after the opening whistle. Samantha Locke notched what proved to be her second goal of the campaign after banging home a loose ball at the near post, giving the Seahawks a 1-0 advantage.

Following that opening score, both squads could do little offensively for the remainder of the first half, but for significantly different reasons. St. Mary's would go on to post seven more shots in the frame but the combination of bend-but-don't-break Spartan defense and the play of goalkeeper Maggie Schlauch kept the hosts within reach. On the other end, the Spartans could only manage one attempt in the half, a strike on-goal from Sandee Reich.

That all changed in the second 35 minutes. The Spartans put on a significantly better offensive showing, tallying nine shots to St. Mary's eight, as both squads found the back of the cage on multiple occasions – resulting in a pulse-pounding end.

Lauriann Parker put the hosts up by two in the game's 45th minute as she knocked home her fifth of the season into the far lower corner.

Undeterred, the Green and White began to mount their comeback as the next four shots came from Spartan sticks.

After a pair of St. Mary's attempts, resulting in a pair of Maggie Schlauch saves, the York side got on the board courtesy of senior forward Katie Dawkins. The 2009 All-CAC selection notched her first goal of the year 57:40 into the game as she slipped her shot from the near post to the far allowing it to ricochet into the cage. Dawkins' tally cut the Seahawk lead in half, 2-1.

Just 4:44 later, the Spartans recorded the tying score on Jillian Brezgel's third tally of the season. Junior defender Colleen O'Rourke served Brezgel a pass from the top of the circle to the far post where the Spartan rookie knocked home the equalizer.

Unfortunately for the visitors, they could not sustain that momentum and turn it into the go-ahead score as they had expended plenty of energy during the comeback.

Over the next 6:25 the Seahawks would register the only offensive activity as they notched a penalty corner and rattled off three straight shots.

That third attempt found paydirt as Parker tallied her second of the game, sixth of the season, and the game-winner. Parker's tally came with only 68:49 to play, as she had broken free from the Spartan defense for a 1v1 with Schlauch. The talented forward flicked her shot just over Schlauch's hand for the game's final goal.

For the contest, St. Mary's outshot their guests 18-10 but the York squad posted an 11-5 lead in penalty corners.

Goalkeeper Lydia Garcia picks up the CAC triumph for the Seahawks as she made three saves over her 70 minutes of work. Schlauch made eight saves for the Spartans as she also saw all 70 minutes.

York will now look to push back up to .500 as they play host to Susquehanna next Tuesday, September 14. The Green and White square off with the Crusaders in a 4:30 non-conference contest from York's Kinsley Field.

GAME BOX

Jillian Brezgel photo courtesy of Zach Clabaugh - www.sharpedgefoto.com