POUGHKEEPSIE, NY -- The Vassar field hockey team got a goal from junior Jordan Friedmann with just under 12 minutes to play and senior goalie Taylor Herman recorded two of the biggest saves of her career, as the Brewers snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over Union College Saturday afternoon in Liberty League play at Weinberg Field. With the victory, Vassar ends a 19-game Liberty League losing streak dating back to October 7, 2005.
The victory earns Vassar its first league win of the year and improves the Brewers to 4-11, 1-5 in the league. Union, which came into Saturday's game riding a seven game winning streak, falls to 11-3, 3-3. Vassar's victory coupled with earlier results in Liberty League play on Saturday, now has three teams – Union, Hamilton and RPI – all tied in league play with 3-3 records. The Dutchwomen visit RPI in a pivotal game with playoff implications on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
Friedmann's go-ahead goal came at 63:07 in the second half, her fourth of the season. It slid by Union senior goalie Liz Stanford (Action, MA/) and came in heavy traffic in front of the Union goal.
Vassar's Herman making two huge stops in the final 12 minutes to preserve the victory. The first came at 4:18 to play when Union sophomore Tyler Willey (Stockton, NJ) unleashed a shot headed for the upper left corner of the goal that Herman snuffed. The second save, made off her left pad, came off a pinpoint attempt by Union's sophomore Kelsey Powers (Naples, ME). Herman had eight saves in the game, five in the first half.
Vassar took a 1-0 lead into halftime following senior Emily Fare's fourth goal of the year at the 15:08 mark. It came off a penalty corner and a feed from sophomore Jessica Lance.
The Brewers maintained the lead for 45 minutes, until Union's Willey evened the game with her sixth goal, also coming off a penalty corner. Willey's goal, assisted by sophomore Alexandra King (Chester Springs, PA), beat Herman over her left shoulder.
Union had 20 shots, with 12 of them coming in the second half. The Dutchwomen had 21 penalty corners in the game, but were able to convert on only one. Vassar had eight shots in the contest, four in each period, and Stanford had four saves in the game, two in each period.
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