SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The second-seeded Union College field hockey team outplayed third-seeded and NFHCA #20 University of Rochester for large parts of regulation, but the Garnet Chargers ended up on the wrong end of a penalty shootout in a heartbreaking 2-1 (4-2 SO) loss in the semifinals of the Liberty League Tournament on Friday evening at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.
After the teams finished 80 minutes of action knotted at one, a penalty shootout was needed to decide which team advanced to the conference championship. After missing on their first shot, Rochester (17-3) scored on their final four shots to earn the victory, while Union (14-6) converted on only their first and fourth opportunities.
Sophomore
Maddie Greco added to her school record with her 20th goal of the season for the Garnet Chargers, while junior
Sophie Brady finished the night with 11 saves to keep her team in the game for 80 minutes.
The Yellow Jackets came out of the gates hot to start the game, earning a pair of penalty corners and forcing Brady to make three saves to keep the game scoreless. But after weathering that opening push, Union quickly established control of the game. The home team took the final two shots of the opening frame and added four more unanswered shots in the second stanza; however, five saves by Kara Houston kept the game scoreless headed into halftime.
The Garnet Chargers again held the Yellow Jackets without a shot in the third period, and Greco finally opened the scoring with 1:48 on the clock with an unassisted tally to give the home team a lead.
Rochester started the fourth frame with another flurry, taking its first shot in over 48 minutes. Brady made one save and first-year
Aislin Devaney added a defensive save to retain the lead, but on UR's third penalty corner of the period, the visitors got a redirection in front by Hannah Mehta off a Zoe Conomikes pass to even the score with 8:18 remaining. Neither team attempted an on-target shot the rest of the period as the game went to seven-on-seven overtime.
The game opened up considerably with the extra space, with the teams combining for seven shots during a back-and-forth first overtime. Three saves by Brady and two by Houston sent the game to a second overtime, where Rochester took control to the tune of an 8-1 shot advantage. Four more big saves by Brady kept the Yellow Jackets off the scoreboard, but the visitors were able to escape in the shootout.
Rochester finished the game with a 21-12 edge in shots, and the Yellow Jackets tacked on seven penalty corners in overtime to hold a 15-6 edge in that category.
The loss brings an end to one of the most successful seasons in Union field hockey history, with the team posting the second-most wins in a season ever. Five of the team's six losses on the year came against nationally ranked opposition, and the team is slated to return eight of its top-nine scorers in the quest for a conference title in 2025.
