Box Score SALISBURY, Md. – Despite a gutsy performance on the road in a tough Capital Athletic Conference contest, the York College field hockey team fell 2-0 to No. 5 Salisbury University on Saturday night.
The Spartans (7-7, 1-3 CAC) weathered the early storm that Salisbury (8-2, 2-0) stirred up as the Sea Gulls rushed out of the gates with three shots and three penalty corners within the first 2:15 of the game.
York then settled in and created some back-and-forth play with the highly touted Gulls through the next 20 minutes of the game. The Spartans struggled to generate shots and penalty corner opportunities, but they stood strong in the midfield and managed to limit the Salisbury offensive pressure.
After the 20-minute-mark, the field began to tilt in favor of the Gulls and following consecutive saves by freshman goalkeeper Eve Hauptle (Alexandria, Va. / West Potomac), Salisbury finally broke through with a goal in the 25th minute of play. Hauptle attempted to break-up a pass across the goal mouth, but ended up tipping the ball towards Salisbury's Courtney Jantzen who collected and finished for the easy goal.
The goal did not discourage Hauptle and the Spartan defense as they lasted the final 10 minutes of the first half without letting up another goal. Salisbury finished with a 17-1 shot advantage to end the first half.
The offensive woes continued for York in the second and Salisbury continued to pour on the offensive pressure, racking up corner after corner. However, the Spartan defense stood tough and managed to hold the Gulls at bay by getting sticks in the passing lanes and disrupting the SU's execution of its penalty corner set plays.
Eventually the pressure got to be too much and the Sea Gulls scored on a penalty corner in the 53rd minute.
After taking at two-goal lead, Salisbury called off the offensive pressure and used its time of possession to run down the clock and limit York's offensive opportunities.
Hauptle had her hands full all evening, but the rookie net-minder did not back down as she challenged the Sea Gull forwards by being active and aggressive in her approach. The freshman finished with a season-high nine saves as she faced a total of 24 shots.
The Spartans will have to shake off the disappointment of the loss and climb back on the horse as they have another critical conference road contest on Wednesday at Frostburg State at 5:00 p.m.
Eve Hauptle photo courtesy of Dave Sinclair
