Russ Delivers a Pair of Goals to Lead No. 11 Cards to 3-1 Win at Kent State

Sunday, October 28

Kent, OH

12:00 p.m.

University of Louisville

(13-5)

Kent State

(7-11)

LOU

Kent State

Bethany Russ looks to pass the ball during the second half of the game against Ohio State at Trager Field.

Photo by: Adam Creech | Louisville Athletics

Russ Delivers a Pair of Goals to Lead No. 11 Cards to 3-1 Win at Kent State

October 28, 2018 | Field Hockey

Box Score Oct. 28 Louisville at Kent State

Cards finish the regular season with a 13-5 overall record

By: Lori Korte

Bethany Russ scored a pair of goals to help the 11^th-ranked University of Louisville field hockey team wrap up the regular season with a 3-1 win over Kent State Sunday at Murphy-Mellis Field. The Cardinals (13-5) will head to Chapel Hill, N.C. where they will face No. 19 Wake Forest in the quarterfinals of the ACC Championship Thursday at 4 p.m.

"It was great to get a win in our last regular season game," said UofL head coach Justine Sowry. "We had set some specific focus areas this week and we were able to work through some tough patches in the game to play some great Louisville hockey by passing and moving off of each other. The defensive intensity and effort today was not where it needs to be and we need to improve significantly as we move into the ACC tournament. It is a quick turnaround. We know what needs to be done so it is a matter of putting it into action."

The teams played through 18 scoreless minutes before the Golden Flashes (7-11) broke through with the first goal of the game after earning a penalty corner. Luisa Knapp deflected Emma Bressler's shot into the cage to give Kent State a 1-0 lead at the 18:29 mark.

Louisville answered when freshman Elizabeth Allgeier earned a penalty corner with under three minutes left in the half. Sophomore Alli Bitting got the play started and senior Katie Walsh provided the stop for sophomore Bethany Russ, who sent a shot into the cage to even the score at 1-1 with 1:22 left on the clock.

The teams entered the break tied at 1-1 after the Cardinals held a 3-2 edge in shots on goal and a 3-1 advantage in corners.

The Cardinals increased their attack in the second half, outshooting the Golden Flashes 7-3. The only corner of the half led to Russ's second goal of the game and her team-best 11^th of the season to put Louisville on top 2-1 at the 44:05 mark. Bitting and Walsh helped set up the goal with Walsh collecting her team-best ninth assist on the season.

Freshman Erica Cooper added an insurance goal with under five minutes remaining in the game when she tapped in a feed from sophomore Madison Walsh to give Louisville a 3-1 lead.

In the game, the Cardinals outshot the Golden Flashes 10-5 and held a 4-1 advantage in corners. Senior Ayeisha McFerran (13-5) posted four saves while earning her 50^th career win. Mary Crumlish (7-11) also tallied four stops in the contest.