Johnson Records Career-High 14 Saves in Loss at #17 Rutgers

Friday, September 19

Piscataway, N.J.

12 PM

University of New Hampshire

(2-5)

Rutgers

(5-3)

New Hampshire

Rutgers

Photo by: Colin Hart

9/19/2025 5:07:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Sophomore goalkeeper Abby Johnson (Walpole, Mass.) recorded a career-high 14 saves but the University of New Hampshire field hockey team was defeated at 17^th-ranked Rutgers University, 6-2, on Friday afternoon.

Johnson made six saves in the first quarter, followed by three in the second, four in the third and one in the fourth to finish with 14 stops.

Senior captain Nicole Poulakis (Ajax, Ontario) and junior captain Kathelijne Knuttel (Groningen, Netherlands) both recorded a goal and assist.

Rutgers was led offensively by Olivia de Zwaan and Olivia Fraticelli with two goals apiece. Emily Nicholls was credited with seven saves.

UNH, which entered the game on a two-game winning streak, is now 2-4 while Rutgers improved to 4-3.

UP NEXT

UNH returns to action Sept. 21 (1 p.m.) against intrastate rival Dartmouth College for Alumni Day at Memorial Field.

COACH'S QUIPS – UNH head coach Robin Balducci
"I think we played a good solid first half and played tough at the end. We scored two really nice goals. We kept fighting back the entire game."

FIRST QUARTER

Rutgers controlled the opening 15 minutes of play and generated an 8-1 shot advantage, but Johnson's six saves kept UNH within a goal at quarter's end.
de Zwaan gave the home team a 1-0 lead on an unassisted goal at 6:27.

SECOND QUARTER

UNH outscored the Scarlet Knights 2-1 in the second quarter to level the score, 2-2, heading into halftime.
Knuttel and Poulakis scored goals 69 seconds apart to transform a one-goal deficit into a 2-1 lead.
Faye Meijer (Purmerend, Netherlands) initiated the scoring sequence on the first goal with a lofted entry pass from midfield. Off one bounce, Poulakis knocked down the ball and with one touch sent it between Nicholls' legs. Poulakis shifted to the right around the goalie and pushed a ball toward the left post that Knuttel slammed into the open cage at 16:35.
A series of four quick passes gave the Wildcats a 2-1 lead at 17:44. From the defensive side of midfield, Meijer struck a diagonal ball to the left side. Tasmin Cookman (London, England) settled the pass and quickly pushed the ball wide, where Addison MacNeil (Brentwood, N.H.) then advanced the ball to the circle. From the top-left side, Knuttel's strike was tipped in middle of the circle by Poulakis inside the right post.
Fraticelli tied the score, 2-2, with 3:23 on the clock.

THIRD QUARTER

Rutgers reasserted control in the third quarter with a 9-1 shot advantage and converted two corners into goals.

Anna Cogdell scored on a direct shot 1:56 into the second half to put the Scarlet Knights back in front, 3-2, and Martha Goodridge's goal off a rebound extended the lead to 4-2 at 37:16.

FOURTH QUARTER

UNH had an 8-4 shot advantage and 6-0 edge in penalty corners in the fourth quarter
de Zwaan and Fraticelli scored at 54:08 and 57:34, respectively.

UNH NOTEBOOK

Johnson surpassed her previous high of 12 saves established in the 2024 regular-season finale at Maine.
Knuttel extended her point streak to four games and she has tallied a point in 5 of 6 games this season. She has five goals and two assists for 12 points during the streak.
Knuttel leads the team in goals (five) and assists (14).
She is tied with both Poulakis and Cookman for the team lead in assists (four)
Poulakis is second in points (10) and tied for second in goals (three).

GAME NOTEBOOK

Rutgers finished with the edge in shots (27-15) and shots on goal (20-9)
UNH had a 9-5 advantage in corners.

Wildcats for Life returns Sept. 29–Oct. 10
UNH Athletics' annual fall fundraiser is just around the corner, supporting student-athletes across all programs. This year, your impact will go even further thanks to a $35,000 match! Stay tuned for how you can get involved and help fuel the success of our Wildcats.