No. 11 Field Hockey Falls to No. 3 UConn 3-0

Saturday, November 14

Storrs, CT

11:30 a.m.

University of Louisville

(13-7)

Connecticut

(21-0)

Louisville

UConn

November 14, 2015 | Field Hockey

Box Score

Cards finish the season with a 13-7 overall record

STORRS, Conn. – The 11^th-ranked University of Louisville field hockey team lost 3-0 to third-ranked Connecticut in the first round of the NCAA Championship Saturday afternoon at UConn's George Sherman Family Complex. The Cardinals finish the season with a 13-7 overall record.

"We're disappointed," said UofL head coach Justine Sowry. "We were prepared, we came in strong, looking for a really good performance. In the first half, we competed, we played really well. In the second half, we really went away from our game plan and our identity. It's just a lack of discipline. I think if we had converted on our penalty corners early in the game, it would have been a different story – the momentum would have shifted. In these moments and in games against a quality opponent like UConn, you've got to take your opportunities and you've got to play to your strengths and play to your identity and we didn't do that today."

The teams played through 21 scoreless minutes before Charlotte Veitner took possession of the ball and broke away from the Cardinals' defense, dribbling the ball into the circle. The nation's leading scorer delivered a shot past a diving attempt by Louisville freshman goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran to put the Huskies on the scoreboard at the 21:06 mark in the game.

Louisville gained possession and continued to attack, but could not get a shot past the Husky defense until just under five minutes remaining in the first half. The Cardinals earned back-to-back penalty corners, but shots by freshman Tess Hannah were turned back by UConn's Nina Klein to keep Louisville at bay.

UConn took a 1-0 lead into halftime after outshooting Louisville 6-2 with Louisville's McFerran collecting four saves. The Huskies also held a 3-2 edge in corners in the first half.

The Huskies went on the attack early in the second half when Veitner fired a quick shot just 30 seconds into the half, but was stopped by McFerran. With 23:04 remaining in the second half, UConn was awarded a penalty stroke and Casey Umstead converted the attempt by sending a shot that ricocheted off of McFerran's glove to give UConn a 2-0 lead.

Over the next nine minutes, Louisville mounted an attack, earning three penalty corners and registering three shots, but could not break through.

Pippa Lewis capped the scoring for UConn when she intercepted a Louisville pass in the midfield and dribbled into the circle where she ripped a shot into the cage to make the score 3-0 with 3:08 remaining in the game.

Overall, UConn outshot Louisville 13-7 while the Cardinals held a 6-5 edge in penalty corners. McFerran (13-7) posted six saves in the game.

UConn (21-0) extends its win streak to 35 games dating back to the 2014 season. Klein (21-0) had four saves in the game.

"I'm incredibly proud of our team and the effort they put in this year," said Sowry. "I want to thank our four wonderful seniors: Victoria Stratton, Elisa Garcia, Megan Anstotz and Katharine-Gwynne Wood for what they've given to this program over four years. We wanted to go one better this year with that group of four, but unfortunately we fell short. But I'm very proud of the group."