Flatley Records One Goal, One Assist As Field Hockey Comeback Falls Short Vs. No. 11 Albany, 4-2

Friday, October 10

3 pm

University of New Hampshire

(3-10, 1-1AE)

University at Albany

(11-2, 2-0AE)

Team	1	2	Final F
Albany (N.Y.)	2	2	4
New Hampshire	0	2	2

10/10/2014 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

Box Score

DURHAM, N.H. – Meg Flatley (Townsend, Mass.) recorded a goal and an assist but the University of New Hampshire field hockey team's comeback fell short in Friday afternoon's 4-2 loss to 11^th-ranked University at Albany at Memorial Field.

UNH, facing its fifth nationally-ranked team of the season, saw its 11-game America East conference win streak end and is now 3-10 overall and 1-1 in America East. UAlbany, which led 4-0 with just under 19 minutes remaining, extended its win streak to five games to improve to 11-2, 2-0.

UNH's other goal scorer was Gianna Bensaia (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) and Molly Heaney (East Kingston, N.H.) also tallied an assist. Goalkeeper Carlie Tarbell (Wakefield, Mass.) was credited with two saves, both in the second half.

UAlbany was led by Paula Heuser (two goals). Kelly Bonner and Echo Bretz netted the other goals and Maxi Primus, who entered the game ranked No. 1 in the nation in goals-against-average (0.48) and No. 4 in save percentage (.833), stopped four shots. Jordyn Homyak was credited with a defensive save.

The Great Danes took a 1-0 lead at 11:46 as the ball was advanced along the right end line. Bretz corralled a deflected pass in the middle of the circle and her shot ricochted off a UNH defender into the right side of the cage.

The Wildcats generated its first pressure of the game in the 15^th minute on a penalty corner and Lindsey Nerbonne (Bow, N.H.) blasted a direct shot that was stopped by Primus. That led to a second corner, however, and this time Nerbonne's redirected shot off the stick of Meg Carroll (Mansfield, Mass.) was blocked by a UAlbany defender.

The Great Danes extended the advantage to 2-0 at 18:42 on a penalty corner with the battery combination of Fiori Van Rijswijk (insert) and Laura Page (stick-stop) setting up Heuser's direct shot that entered the cage just right of center.

UNH pressured again in the 31^st minute and this time Nerbonne's reverse-stick from the top-right side bounced high over Primus, who had come out from the goalmouth, and wide left of the far post.

The visitors took that two-goal lead and a 5-3 shot advantage into halftime; New Hampshire generated a 4-1 edge in penalty corners in the opening 35 minutes.

Heuser generated another dangerous scoring opportunity in the 43^rd minute as she drove along the left endline, but her low drive was kicked aside by Tarbell.

UAlbany took a 3-0 lead at 44:23 when Molly Mariano's initial shot from the right wing ricocheted off the left post but Bonner corralled the rebound and deposited the ball into the open cage.

UNH called time out at 47:10 and earned a corner within the next minute. The insert carried beyond the circle, but Nerbonne made a diving effort for an entry pass and Carroll, positioned in the middle of the circle, quickly fired a shot on goal that Primus blocked away.

The Great Danes went on the counter attack and sustained pressure led to a 4-0 lead at 51:12. On a penalty corner, Heuser's initial shot from the top-left was blocked but she regained possession and her second shot rolled through traffic into the cage.

New Hampshire fought back in the final 19 minutes, however. The 'Cats closed within 4-1 at 56:12 when Heaney's hit from the top of the circle was redirected inside the left post by Flatley for her team-leading 10^th goal of the season.

UAlbany called its timeout at 59:07, but the Wildcats continued to pressure and produced another corner in the 63^rd minute and this time Flatley passed directly to the top-left side to Bensaia. Flatley received the return pass and her shot beat Primus but was stopped at the near post by Homyak to keep the margin at three goals.

The Wildcats trimmed the deficit to 4-2 at 66:14 by converting on another penalty corner. Flatley once again made the direct pass to Bensaia on the left wing and this time her shot went into the cage for her fourth of the season.

UNH had possession but could not get the ball inside the circle the remainder of the game. The Great Danes tallied a 10-9 shot advantage in the second half for a 15-12 overall margin, while the 'Cats had a 6-2 second-half edge in penalty corners for a mark of 10-3 overall.

UAlbany was also the last team to defeat UNH in a conference game on Oct. 29, 2011 (3-2 at Albany).

New Hampshire returns to action Friday, Oct. 17 at home against the University of Vermont. Game time at Memorial Field is 4 p.m.