POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – The 9th ranked University of Rochester field hockey team dropped a tough 2-1 decision in overtime to Liberty League rival Vassar College on Saturday afternoon at Weinberg Field.
 
The loss is UR's second straight and moves the Yellowjackets to 10-2 and 1-1 in the Liberty League.  Vassar moves up to 10-2 on the year and sits at 2-1 in conference play.
 
Overall in the series with the Brewers, the last four meetings have been decided by one goal each, two of which went to overtime.  The teams have split those four meetings 2-2 with each school winning twice on its home field, UR in 2013 and 2015 while Vassar holding home field in 2014 and this year.
 
In the 23rd minute, Rochester was awarded a penalty stroke when a Vassar defender kicked a ball off the line after it slipped past goalkeeper Paige Amico.  Yellowjacket senior Callie Fisher stepped up and made her stroke attempt, giving Rochester a 1-0 lead.
 
For the first half, the Yellowjackets defense did not surrender a Vassar shot, with UR heading the locker room up 1-0 on the scoreboard and 7-0 in the shot category.
 
The Brewers would capitalize on their first shot of the game, coming 10 minutes into the second half.  After a penalty corner, Vassar's Megan Caveny blasted home a stick stop from teammate Emma Bracken with Lauren Shumate also earning an assist on the play.
 
Neither team could muster much offense the rest of the way, with UR only getting one shot off in the last 25 minutes of regulation, coming off the stick of Claire Dickerson in the 53rd minute.
 
Vassar would have a flurry of chances with under five minutes left on the clock.  First, Caveny sent a shot wide right at 67:31.  30 seconds later, UR goalkeeper Kiran Sundaram made a save on Emma Bracken attempt.  Shortly after, Fisher made a defensive save for the Yellowjackets, sweeping another Bracken shot off the line.  With 90 seconds left in regulation, the Brewers earned another corner, this time though Caveny's shot was saved away.
 
In the extra session, Vassar would maintain most of the possession, earning the game winning goal at 73:14 when Caveny scored her second goal of the game, one-timing a pass across the goal mouth from Sam Plante into the cage.
 
Rochester's Sundaram finished with two saves while starter Gabrielle Cantley played the first half and was not required to make a save.  Amico made one stop for the Brewers who have won eight of their last nine games.
 
UR returns home on Tuesday for another big Liberty League matchup, hosting William Smith College at 6 pm at Fauver Stadium.