YORK, PA – The York College field hockey team saw their three-game win streak come to a halt as Susquehanna University got the game-winning goal with 1:59 left in the game to down the Spartans 2-1 on Tuesday night.
The game was York's first home game since September 1 and comes after their five-game road trip in which they went 4-1. It was also York's first game as a ranked team as the Spartans debuted at #17 earlier on Tuesday with the newest NFHCA Coaches Poll.
Susquehanna improves to 4-3 while the Spartans fall to 5-2.
 
How It Happened
• The Spartans wasted little time in opening the scoring as Kat Knox kept up her hot streak with her fifth goal of the year. Knox captured a loose ball in the circle, dribbled to the middle and fired a shot that she tucked inside the left post for the goal. It came on York's first shot at the 5:44 mark. The Spartans got a second shot on goal but River Hawks goalie Mackenzie Bross made the save to keep the contest a one goal affair.
• The second quarter saw Susquehanna get back-to-back corners early in the period but weren't able to get a shot off. The Spartans managed to force Bross to make three saves over the final ten minutes of the quarter as the teams headed to the break with the Spartans maintaining a 1-0 lead.
• The Spartans controlled the first ten minutes of the third quarter as they had four corners during that segment of the period. Unfortunately for York, they were able to get off just one shot that was blocked as the Suquehanna defense stood tall. The River Hawks got a penalty corner at the 41 minute mark. A scramble ensued off the corner and the Spartans were called for a stroke as the official ruled a Spartan defender had the ball hit her foot on the goal line. Susquehanna's Annalee Smith smoked the stroke inside the left post for the game tying goal. It was her fifth tally of the year and her second successful stroke.
• The Spartans had their best chance in the fourth quarter as Knox had a shot turned away by Bross to keep the game tied. The River Hawks got yellow card with 3:12 left in the game and that seemed to get Susquehanna rolling as they got a penalty corner just over a minute later. The River Hawks had their first shot blocked by York wasn't able to clear the ball and Sarah McAndrews found herself on the far post with the ball heading to her. She poked the ball into the goal for the game-winner with 1:59 left in regulation.
• With such little time left, the Spartans were unable to notch the equalizer as York suffered their first home loss.
 
Spartan Notes
The Spartans have dropped two straight to the River Hawks as the all-time series is now deadlocked at 18-18-1 … York had their defensive scoreless streak snapped at 245:14 on the River Hawk penalty stroke … the Spartans allowed their first goal in the run of play when Susquehanna scored the game winner at 1:59 of the fourth … two of the three Spartan goals allowed on the season have come on penalty strokes … York allowed two goals for the first time this year … freshman Kat Knox tallied her fifth goal of the season as she now leads the squad for the year … York out shot the River Hawks 8-5 including 6-3 in shots on goal … the eight shots were their second lowest total of the year (6 at Johns Hopkins and at F&M).
 
Up Next
The Spartans head back on the road for a trip to Reading to face Alvernia in a key MAC Commonwealth contest on Saturday at 4:00 pm. Alvernia enters the game 6-1 overall and 1-0 in the MAC Commonwealth.