Rize Matches Career High of Eight Saves; Field Hockey Falls 5-0 at No. 1 UConn

Friday, September 11

Storrs, Conn.

7 PM

University of New Hampshire

(1-3)

University of Connecticut

(5-0)

New Hampshire

UConn

Rize Matches Career High of Eight Saves; Field Hockey Falls 5-0 at No. 1 UConn

9/11/2015 9:19:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

STORRS, Conn. – Sophomore goalkeeper Melissa Rize (Severn, Md.) matched her career high of eight saves, but the University of New Hampshire field hockey team was defeated 5-0 Friday night by top-ranked University of Connecticut at the George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex.

UNH is now 1-3 overall with a 1-2 mark against nationally-ranked teams while UConn remains unbeaten at 5-0.

Rize, who also recorded eight saves the Wildcats' previous game last Sunday at Dartmouth College, finished with four saves in both the first and second halves vs. UConn. Lindsey Nerbonne (Bow, N.H.) was the only 'Cat to record multiple shots with two.

UConn was led offensively by Charlotte Veitner (three goals), Anna Middendorf (one goal, one assist) and Sophie Bowden (two assists); Mckenzie Townsend scored the other goal. Nina Klein was credited with five saves.

Rize denied UConn's first scoring chance but stopping Veitner's shot at 8:15. Neither team recorded another shot until Veitner gave the Huskies a 1-0 lead – off Amelia Iacobucci's pass – at 13:22.

UConn was awarded a penalty corner at 15:43 and Casey Umstead's shot ricocheted off the crossbar.

UNH recorded its first shot of the game at 20:12 when Ashley Mendonca (Brampton, Ontario) fired a shot on cage that Klein turned aside. The Wildcats sustained pressure in the circle and Klein preserved the one-goal lead by denying Taylor Rideout (Barrington, R.I.). UNH gained a penalty corner moments later but the Huskies' defensive unit did not allow a shot.

UConn was given a corner in the 25^th minute and Middendorf's shot was blocked by Rize, who also stopped Amanda Collins' opportunity less than 30 seconds later.

The Huskies converted its next corner into a 2-0 lead at 26:45 on Middenforf's direct shot. The battery of Sophie Bowden and Olivia Bolles set up the strike.

UConn closed the half with an offensive flurry to extend the advantage to three goals. It started on a corner with two minutes on the clock, but Rize stopped the initial shot by Middendorf and Kendall Youngblood's shot went wide. Less than a minute later, Youngblood set up Veitner's second goal of the game at 34:24 to make it 3-0.

UConn took a 13-2 shot advantage into halftime and increased that margin on Iacobucci's shot wide at 36:53 and Veitner's shot on target that was steered away by Rize at 37:14.

UNH generated its first corner of the game at 37:26 and the direct shot off the stick of Nerbonne was stopped by Klein.

Veitner struck again at 47:20 on a strong shot from the top of the circle to give the home team a 4-0 lead.

In the 52^nd minute, Rize kept the differential at four when she denied both Amanda Collins and Townsend.

The Wildcats threatened in the 60^th minute but Nerbonne's shot was again turned away by Klein. UNH generated a corner four minutes later and this time Klein denied Gianna Bensaia (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.).

Townsend tipped in Middendorf's direct shot off a penalty corner to give UConn a 5-0 lead at 65:35. The Huskies finished the game with a 23-5 shot advantage as well as a 7-3 edge in corners.

New Hampshire returns to action with its Sept. 13 home opener against Northeastern University. Game time at Memorial Field is 2 p.m.