No. 8 Cards Top No. 9 Boston College 1-0 Behind Russ's Late Goal

Friday, September 14

LOUISVILLE, KY

6:00 p.m.

University of Louisville

(5-2, 1-1)

BOSTON COLLEGE

(3-3, 1-1)

Boston College

LOU

No. 8 Cards Top No. 9 Boston College 1-0 Behind Russ's Late Goal

September 14, 2018 | Field Hockey

Box Score Louisville 1 - Boston College 0 Justine Sowry Postgame Interview Bethany Russ Postgame Interview Ayeisha McFerran Postgame Interview Photo Gallery

Bethany Russ's goal with no time remaining in regulation lifts Louisville to a 1-0 win over BC

By: Lori Korte

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Sophomore Bethany Russ delivered a penalty corner goal with no time remaining on the clock tie to lift the eighth-ranked University of Louisville field hockey team to a 1-0 win over No. 9 Boston College in an ACC matchup Friday evening at Trager Stadium. Louisville improves to 5-2 on the season and moves to 1-1 in league play while Boston College drops to 3-3 (1-1 ACC).

"We finally started to earn some penalty corners," said UofL head coach Justine Sowry. "We were unable to really earn a lot in the circle today. Boston College defended really well. We had to try to work the ball around a little bit and change the point of attack because we just kept getting stuck in the corner. I was proud of the fact that once we got in there at the very end of the game, there was tremendous fight to keep the ball in the circle and we were able to execute that last penalty corner. I'm super happy for Bethany Russ today."

Russ's second goal of the season and first career game-winner came on Louisville's third straight penalty corner after time expired in regulation. Senior Maria Gomez pushed the ball to start the corner and fellow senior Katie Walsh trapped the ball for her team-best fourth assist of the season. Russ proceeded to deliver a shot into the left corner of the cage in the final play of the game.

"It all came down to my teammates who continued to earn the corners," said Russ. "Maria Gomez earned the initial corner. We had great fight and there's not much more you can ask for once time expires."

In the first half, neither team could find much offense as they were knotted at two shots apiece and with the Eagles owning a 4-0 advantage in penalty corners.

The Cardinals attacked early in the second half, earning their first two corners of the game and firing off four shots in the first eight minutes of play. The Eagles gained momentum with five corners and nine shots in a 16-minute span, but Louisville's defense held strong as senior goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran turned back four shots on goal.

Louisville increased its offensive pressure in the final four minutes of play and went on to earn a corner in the closing seconds of regulation. The corner was played out once time expired. Senior Taylor Stone's shot was stopped by BC's Sarah Dwyer, but the Cardinals were able to earn a second corner. On the next attempt, sophomore Mercedes Pastor delivered a shot on goal which was once again stopped by Dwyer, but another infraction forced a third try which the Cardinals converted for the game-winning goal.

As expected in a battle of a pair of top-10 ACC teams, the contest was evenly played with each team tallying 11 shots. BC owned a 9-5 edge in corners overall. In the second half, both squads had nine shots and five corners apiece.

McFerran (5-2) picked up her first shutout of the season while collecting five saves. Dwyer had seven stops for Boston College.

UofL will face tis second straight ranked opponent on Sunday when No. 11 Northwestern visits Trager Stadium.