Ross Records Career-High 12 Saves in 2-1 Loss at #20 Saint Joseph's

Friday, August 28

Philadelphia, Pa.

12 PM

University of New Hampshire

(0-1)

Saint Joseph's

(1-0)

Team	1	2	OT 1	OT 2	Final F
New Hampshire	0	0	0	1	1
Saint Joseph's	0	1	0	1	2

Photo by: John-Scott Sherburne

Ross Records Career-High 12 Saves in 2-1 Loss at #20 Saint Joseph's

8/28/2026 2:45:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

MERION STATION, Pa. – Junior goalkeeper Kerigan Ross (Baltimore, Md.) made a career-high 12 saves but the University of New Hampshire field hockey team was edged 2-1 by 20^th-ranked Saint Joseph's University in Friday's season opener for both teams at Ellen Ryan Field.

Ross made six saves in both halves with a single-quarter high of five in the fourth quarter.

Freshman forward Julianna Casucci (Uxbridge, Mass.) scored the Wildcats' first goal of the season and first of her career to tie the score, 1-1, at 51:28.

Cat Arentz scored the game-winning goal at 55:05. Lily DeWan scored SJU's other goal and Avi Wagner was credited with two saves.

UP NEXT

UNH returns to action Aug. 29 (12pm) vs. 11^th-ranked UConn at Ellen Ryan Field.
The Wildcats' home opener is Sept. 20 against Boston University.

FIRST QUARTER

SJU recorded a 4-0 shot advantage, including 2-0 on goal, in the scoreless opening 15 minutes of the game.
Ross made the first save of the season when the Hawks were awarded a penalty corner and she turned aside a direct shot by Milou Kluyt from the top of the circle at 5:30.

SECOND QUARTER

Ross made a diving stick save to deny Adele Jardemar on a low drive from the top of the circle on another SJU corner at 16:10.
The Hawks sustained pressure, however, and capitalized on their next corner to take a 1-0 lead on DeWan's goal at 17:00.
Ross denied Arentz in the 19^th minute and again in the 20^th minute to keep UNH within one goal.
Emily Coughlin (Marshfield, Mass.) fired a shot wide of the cage at 24:18.
Casucci collected a pass in the middle of the circle and ripped a low reverse-stick shot that deflected off Wagner over the cage.
SJU generated another corner in the 29^th minute but Ross once again turned aside a shot off Kluyt's stick.
The Hawks recorded a 6-2 shot advantage, including 5-1 on goal, in the second quarter.

THIRD QUARTER

DeWan recorded the only shot in the third quarter at 41:56, but was denied by Ross.
UNH pressured in the closing seconds when Elina Muijskens (Uitgeest, Netherlands) advanced down the right side. Her centering pass from the end line found Emily Coughlin (Marshfield, Mass.) alone in front but time ran out before Coughlin could get a shot.

FOURTH QUARTER

Both teams generated more offense in the final 15 minutes with Saint Joseph's recording a 7-2 shot advantage and 6-1 edge in corners.
UNH converted its first corner of the game into a goal and 1-1 tie at 51:28. Addison MacNeil (Exeter, N.H.) inserted the ball to stick-stop Abigail Armlin (York, Maine) at the top of the circle, where Abigail Johnson (Oxford, Pa.) struck a low shot off Wagner's stacked pads. Casucci chipped the rebound into the cage, however.
In a succession of five consecutive corners in the 55^th minute, Arentz scored from close range into the left side of the cage to put the Hawks back in front, 2-1, at 55:05. Ross made three saves in the series before the home team scored.
UNH did not record a shot the rest of the way.

UNH NOTEBOOK

Ross stopped 12 of 14 shots on target for an .857 save percentage.
Ross entered the game with 20 career saves in 326 minutes spanning the 2024 and 2025 season. She doubled her previous career high of six saves established against Saint Joseph's in the 2024 season opener.

GAME NOTEBOOK

All three goals were scored on penalty corners.
SJU finished with the edge in shots (18-4) and corners (11-1).

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