Rudert Records Career-High Nine Saves in 2-1 Win at No. 17 Albany

Sunday, October 16

Albany, NY

1 PM

University of New Hampshire

(4-10, 2-3AE)

University at Albany

(10-5, 4-1AE)

New Hampshire

ALBANY

Rudert Records Career-High Nine Saves in 2-1 Win at No. 17 Albany

10/16/2016 4:49:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

ALBANY, N.Y. – Ashley Mendonca (Brampton, Ontario) scored two goals and Kelsey Rudert (North Grafton, Mass.) made a career-high nine saves to lead the University of New Hampshire field hockey team to Sunday afternoon's 2-1 victory against 17^th-ranked University at Albany at Varsity Field.

UNH improved to 4-10 overall and 2-3 in America East by handing the Great Danes their first conference loss – and first home loss – of the season. Albany is now 10-5, 4-1.

The Wildcats' battery of Katie Audino (Severn, Md.) and Gianna Bensaia (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) as the insert and stick-stop, respectively, set up Mendonca's goals, both of which were on a penalty corner direct shot from the top of the circle.

GAME INFO
Date: October 16, 2016
Location: Varsity Field (Albany, N.Y.)
Attendance: 141
Score: UNH 2, Albany 1
Updated Records: UNH (4-10, 2-3 America East), Albany (10-5, 4-1 America East)

NEXT GAME: Friday, Oct. 21 vs. Vermont, 3 pm at Memorial Field

The Difference

UNH made the most of its opportunities by converting 2 of 3 penalty corners into goals, and the Wildcats put six of their eight shots on goal.
In comparison, Albany recorded 10 of its 20 shots on goal and did not score on six corners.

Game Recap

Albany took a 1-0 lead at 14:49 when Maxi Primus dribbled down the middle and her shot bounced into the cage.
The Great Danes took that one-goal lead and 11-4 shot advantage into halftime; both teams generated one penalty corner in the opening 35 minutes.
UNH generated a corner early in the second half and the combination of Audino, Bensaia and Mendonca tied the game, 1-1, at 37:55.
Albany called time out at 55:00. At that point, the Great Danes had the statistical advantage in both shots (16-7) and corners (5-2). But not the scoreboard, where it was even at 1-1.
Mendonca ripped another low shot from the top of the circle into the cage to give New Hampshire a 2-1 lead with 1:48 remaining in regulation.
UNH called time out with 61 seconds to play, and Albany pulled goalie Maxi Primus in favor of an extra field player.
The 'Cats kept the Great Danes at bay the rest of the way, however, by not allowing another shot to preserve the one-goal lead and secure the victory.

UNH NOTEBOOK

Each of the last four games have been decided by one goal, and each of the first four games of the season were decided by one goal. None of the six goals in between were one-goal games.

'CAT NIPS

Mendonca tied her career highs in both goals and points (four) with the two goals. She has three goals the past two games.
Audino recorded her first career multiple-assist game. She now ranks second on the team in assists with six.
Bensaia extended her assist streak to three games with her fourth two-assist game of the season. She has a team-high 12 assists.

QUOTABLE

"The stats were a little deceiving in the first half because the shots on goal were only 5-2. I felt happy at halftime because we got off to a slow start and it was a 1-0 game. You never plan to shut Albany down for an entire half, you just hope to slow them down. Kelsey Rudert was outstanding." – UNH head coach Robin Balducci

SHOTS: UNH 4-4–8. Albany 11-9–20.

PENALTY CORNERS: UNH 1-2–3. Albany 1-5–6.

GOALS
UNH (2): Ashley Mendonca (2)
Albany (1): Paula Heuser

ASSISTS
UNH (4): Katie Audino (2), Gianna Bensaia (2)
Albany (0)

SAVES
UNH: Kelsey Rudert 4-5–9 (70:00; 1 GA)
Albany: Maxi Primus 3-1–4 (70:00; 2 GA)

DEFENSIVE SAVES
UNH (0)
ALBANY (0)