Field Hockey Drops Narrow Road Game to Crimson Hawks

INDIANA, Pa. – The Frostburg State Field Hockey team lost in comeback fashion to IUP on Tuesday night by a final score of 2-1.
 
FSU was forced to defend early on, as the Crimson Hawks earned a penalty corner inside the first three minutes, which the Bobcat defenders were swift to charge down the attempted shot to block it. Seven minutes later, at the other end of the field, the result for Frostburg matched that of the hosts, as senior Ashlyn Cave saw her shot blocked away as well. As IUP turned up the pressure in the final few minutes of the quarter, sophomore Zoe Barnes came up with a pair of big saves to keep the game scoreless. .
 
The Hawks controlled the majority of possession in the second period, but each team found scoring chances hard to come by. FSU never managed to get a shot away, while IUP had a penalty corner that never materialized into a shot, then Barnes made her third save of the day with less that four minutes left, as the halftime score read 0-0.
 
Quarter three started out with a bang for the Bobcats, as sophomore Paige Leitzel scored a solo goal inside the first minute and a half to put Frostburg ahead 1-0. The lead only lasted just over a minute, as a well-worked Crimson Hawk corner worked its way from Roos Van Herel to Devon Johnson, who slotted home to quickly even things at one apiece. FSU tried to respond quickly again two minutes later, but junior Femke Hofkamp's shot went wide of the mark.
 
At the five-minute mark of the quarter, IUP ramped up their attack, firing off seven shots in six minutes, as Barnes was forced into four saves trying to maintain the tie. Frostburg's defense blocked another pair of shots, then Barnes made another saved on a corner and was again helped out by the players in front of her with two minutes left. The Bobcat resistance was finally broken with just over a minute left to play, as Lauren Horning found the back of the cage to put the Crimson Hawks ahead 2-1.
 
IUP had the first chance of the fourth quarter, to which Hofkamp cleared the ball off the line for a defensive save, then FSU tried to hit back five minutes later. Frostburg earned a pair of penalty corners but could only muster a Leitzel shot that went wide from the opportunities. As time ran down, the Crimson Hawks were able to shut down the Bobcat offense, holding them without a shot the rest of the way, as Barnes made a late save to keep the score at 2-1 to end the game.
 
With the loss, Frostburg falls to 8-8 on the year, while IUP improves to 8-6. The Bobcats play their final game of the season on Saturday, October 28, where it will be senior day in Bobcat Stadium at 1 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.