NEWPORT NEWS, VA – The #9 York College field hockey squad dropped a tight 2-1 decision at #6 Christopher Newport in a battle of top ten teams in Newport News, Virginia on Sunday.
The Spartans were facing their third nationally ranked team in four games and playing their fourth game in the last eight days.
York falls to 6-2 overall while the Captains remain perfect on the year with a mark of 6-0.
 
How It Happened
• The rested Captains took the play to the Green and White early as they had the better of the action. The Captains registered a penalty corner and three shots on goal in the first five minutes of play. Goalie Belle Fields made two stops while senior Libby Wild notched a defensive save during the CNU spurt. The Captains broke through in the eighth minute as they were awarded a penalty stroke. Caroline Hughlett took the stroke and finished the chance for the 1-0 CNU lead. The goal was Hughlett's third of the year.
• The Spartans wasted little time in getting the equalizer early in the second quarter. York drew their first penalty corner and made the most of it. Hannah Downs inserted the ball to Olivia Miller. The sophomore captain found senior captain Riley Buschert who finished off the chance for the goal 1:54 into the quarter. The Captains answered back with an offensive push that forced Fields to stand on her head with six saves in the quarter. Unfortunately for York, the Captains tallied the go-ahead goal with 1:25 left in the half. CNU got a penalty corner and the ball was played in. CNU's Brooke Billhimer flipped a pass to Katie Abendschoen who was able to get a shot elevated as it snuck over Fields' shoulder for the goal. The Captains almost made it 3-1 but sophomore defender Becca Olsen was in the right spot as she made a defensive save on a shot at the horn.
• The Spartans had a chance to tie the game at two as Miller put a shot on goal but Billhimer recorded a defensive save in the game's 37^th minute. York then had back-to-back corners in which Wild put shots on goal only to have Captain goalie Lily Kerr make a pair of saves. Fields made two saves in the last three minutes of the quarter to keep York within a goal heading to the fourth.
• The Spartans again had back-to-back corners as Kerr made another stop, this time denying Miller in the 50^th minute of play. The Spartans got a second defensive save from Wild with 2:47 left in regulation but the Captains would not surrender another Spartan opportunity as they closed out the win.
• CNU out shot the Spartans 20-9 including 14-7 in shots on goal. The Captains had a slight 10-8 advantage in penalty corners. Fields notched nine saves for the Spartans while York had three defensive saves in the game.
 
Spartan Notes
The Spartans have now lost four straight against the Captains as CNU leads the all-time series 7-3 … the Spartans got out shot for the third time this season … the Spartans had a season-high three defensive saves … the 14 shots on goal allowed were a season high … senior goalie Belle Fields made a season-high nine saves in the game as she faced 20 shots for the second time in three games … senior defender Libby Wild made two more defensive saves as she now has six for the season and 13 for her career … Wild is tied with Katie McEntee for sixth on the all-time defensive saves list … sophomore defender Becca Olsen recorded her first career defensive save … senior Riley Buschert scored her team-leading fifth goal of the year … the goal was Buschert's 20^th career tally ... the Spartans two losses have come on the road and both by one goal ... York is 4-2 in one-goal games.
 
Up Next
The Spartans return home on Saturday, September 28 when they host nationally ranked Lynchburg. The Spartans and Hornets are tangling for the third time in two years as York looks to avenge their double overtime NCAA Tournament loss to Lynchburg last fall. The match is slated for a 1:00 pm start at Kinsley Field.