By Chris McCree

Sports Editor

The women’s field hockey team lost two straight home games to Rutgers and Rider this past weekend, bringing them to 2-6 on the season. The Bison managed just one goal and nine to their New Jersey counterparts over the two games.

Against Rider, the Bison kept it fairly close in the first half, but let up four second-half goals to fall 6-0. Despite recording a career-best seven saves, Erica Perrine ’14 took the loss for the Orange and Blue after surrendering five goals in her 54 minutes of play.

In the following day’s matchup against Rutgers, the Bison could not overcome an early 2-0 deficit and fell 3-1 to the Scarlet Knights. Kate Bowen ’12 scored the only goal of the weekend for the Orange and Blue off one of the team’s 10 second-half penalty corners.

“Our two major areas of concern are playing with consistent effort for 70 minutes and scoring,” Bowen said. “We have been working on finishing the play and scoring at practice and we know that is where we need to improve. Ultimately, you can’t win if you don’t score.”

Over the next two weeks, the Orange and Blue will take on Patriot League rivals Holy Cross and Lafayette in their first league contests of the season.

“We definitely have had a tough schedule so far this year, but our schedule is set up the way it is to prepare us for Patriot Leagues.  American is a top 10 team that has won the Patriot League the past eight years.  Playing ranked teams during the season helps us to prepare for league play,” Bowen said.

This weekend,  the Bison will continue their home stand against Holy Cross and Villanova.