UTICA, N.Y. (November 8, 2014) – The Stevens Institute of Technology field hockey team gave 20th-ranked Utica College all it could handle Saturday in the Empire 8 Championship semifinals, but the Ducks' comeback came up just short as they eventually fell by a final score of 3-2.
Stevens ends its season with an overall mark of 10-11. The 10 wins mark the eighth-straight year the Ducks have recorded double-digit wins and the appearance in the conference tournament is the seventh consecutive for Stevens.
"I'm so proud of how this team competed today," Head Field Hockey Coach
Emily Beach said after the game. "We knew this season would be full of ups and downs because of our inexperience, but we came together as a team and were playing very good hockey by the end. Our future looks very bright!"
Utica came out strong, nearly scoring just 2:34 into the action, but a defensive save for junior
Briana DeGraaf kept the game scoreless.
The teams went back and forth for most of the first half, with Utica getting the better of the shots, but the Ducks generated some strong looks via the penalty corner.
The host Pioneers found their way on the scoreboard with 4:37 to play in the opening period when freshman Melissa Koch scored the first goal of her career when she deflected in a Colleen Dowling shot at the goal line.
Senior forward Hannah Mackey put Utica on top 2-0 when she converted a penalty stroke for her 35th goal of the season with 30:30 left in regulation.
From that point on, the Ducks pushed the 17-2 Pioneers, nearly sending the game into extra time late in the contest.
Junior forward
Dailyn Brook sliced the Pioneer lead in half when she was able to put home her own rebound at the 50:55 mark of the second half. Leading up to the play, the Ducks generated three-straight penalty corners before Brook knocked in her team-high 17th goal of the season.
A little less than 10 minutes later, Utica scored the eventual game-winner, taking a 3-1 lead with 8:33 left in regulation thanks to a score from senior Alaina Stojkovski.
Down two with less than eight minutes to play, the Ducks easily could have folded but did not, continuing to battle through the final horn. Freshman
Victoria Alvarez knocked in her 17th goal of the season on an assist from Brook with 6:15 on the clock to get the Ducks back within one. The rookie took the veteran's cross in front and deposited her shot in the right corner.
Over the final five minutes of action, the Ducks were able to hold the Pioneers without a single shot, but could not find the back of the net when a chance was created with 2:01 remaining following a penalty corner.
Utica finished with a 14-10 margin in shots, but the Ducks led in that statistic in the second half, outshooting the Pioneers 8-6 over the final 35:00. Stevens ended the contest with a 12-11 edge in penalty corners, including a 7-3 advantage in the second half.
DeGraaf finished with three defensive saves for the Ducks, with freshman back
Alana Best getting one as well. Sophomore goalie
Emily Stukenborg tallied five saves for the Ducks, with Brook's three points pacing the offense.
Visit
www.stevensducks.com Sunday for a complete release on the Ducks' all-conference performers.
