The field hockey team took on the Fairfield Stags on Tuesday, scoring twice in a 5-2 losing effort. The Bears also traveled to Dartmouth over the weekend, falling short 4-2. But the team regrouped its offense recently and is keeping games close.
Dartmouth 4, Brown 2
In Saturday's game, the Bears (1-6, 0-2 Ivy) put up two goals against a tough Dartmouth (6-1, 1-1 Ivy) defense. Despite having a 13-5 deficit in penalty corners, Bruno took advantage of its scoring opportunities — with its shooting percentage of 20 percent beating Dartmouth's 11 percent.
But penalties and shot attempts proved to be the difference-maker, as Dartmouth relentlessly attacked the Bears' defense, tallying 36 shots to Brown's 10.
"Drawing corners certainly is (important)," said Head Coach Tara Harrington '94. "We need to draw more of them and give up less of them."
Midfielder-forward Abigail Taft '12 and forward Tacy Zysk '11 provided the goals for the Bears.
My goal "was well set up by Leslie (Springmeyer '12)," Taft said. "Both Tacy and I got open looks off of long balls. One of the defenders was recovering and I was able to pull around her and make the shot."
These good offensive looks have spawned from a recent change the team has made in its formation, moving sideback Laura Iacovetti '12 to a more central position, which allows captain midfielder Katie Hyland '11 to push further up the field. This is a more offensive-minded formation, and the team has seen a huge upswing in goals since the rearrangement. The team, which was scoreless through the first three games of the season, has since put up 14 goals in their four games since.
Iacovetti's solid play in an unfamiliar position has earned her praise from coaches and teammates.
"I like it a lot," Iacovetti said of her new position. "Katie and I play well together. We have similar playing styles, so it's easy for us to work off of one another."
Fairfield 5, Brown 2
In Tuesday's game, the team battled the elements in a rainy contest against Fairfield (6-4), falling short 5-2. Fullback Elara Mosquera '13 provided the early spark, slamming home a pass from Iacovetti to put Brown on top 1-0. Fairfield later tied the game off a corner, but Taft answered just over a minute later, collecting a loose ball and burying it for her fourth score of the year.
But the Stags came roaring back after the goal, scoring four unanswered goals to claim the victory. Fairfield pounced on the corner opportunities presented to them, scoring two second-half goals directly off of penalties. This is not the first time Bruno has had penalties weigh in on a game decision, after having three of its goals disallowed in a 5-4 loss to Columbia.
Goalie Lauren Kessler '11.5 continued her stellar play, turning away seven shots, including a diving stop of a cross destined for the stick of a Fairfield forward.
Catch the Bears in Ivy League action this weekend, as they take on Harvard Saturday at noon on the Olney-Margolies Athletic Center roof.
