Katherine Harris

Senior Writer 

The women’s field hockey team split its matches this past weekend, falling in a 2-0 shutout at Drexel on Sept. 13 before rallying to defeat a tough Penn squad 2-1 at home on Sept. 15.

“The team is at a really great place at this point in the season. Every game we have taken steps forward and improved our game. We are playing at a high tempo and competing with top ranked teams,” Rachel Misko ’14 said.

The Bison entered play on a two-game winning streak, but were halted by a tenacious opponent as they traveled to Drexel. The game was a battle the entire way, with a scoreless board until there were just 16 minutes left in the game.

Drexel was able to secure the win as time ran down with another goal in the 65th minute. Goalkeeper Erica Perrine ’14 performed strongly in the net for the Bison, recording six saves as she held the opposing squad scoreless for the majority of the game.

“This week our team once again proved that we can keep up with other competitive programs. During our Friday night game against Drexel, we were able to hold possession of the ball and generate some great opportunities on cage. We tested their defense time and time again while holding strong against their offensive attacks. Unfortunately, some calls by the refs did not go our way, and Drexel was able to capitalize on those rare occasions,” Perrine said.

The Orange and Blue regrouped to face off against Penn in their first home game of the season. The team started off strong with a renewed sense of energy, outshooting its opponent 8-0 in the first half. Abby Watson ’16 took advantage of the pressure for the Bison, nabbing the first goal of the weekend for the squad.

While Penn was able to tie the score up with a goal only 49 seconds into the second half, Leigh Hillman ’14 broke the tie in the 53rd minute of the game with a goal on a centering pass from Maggie Murphy ’15. The Bison were then able to hold off their opponent for the rest of the game.

The Orange and Blue will compete again tomorrow when they start Patriot League play versus Lehigh at 11 a.m.

“By increasing our finishing toward goal and tightening our defense on breakdowns I am confident we will have a successful rest of the season and continue to improve our game,” Misko said.