MIDDLEBURY, VT – Prior to Saturday, University of Rochester field hockey junior
Jennifer Lee had not scored multiple goals in a game during her career in a Yellowjacket uniform. That all changed at the perfect time as she scored both goals during Rochester's 2-1 victory over Husson University in the 2nd round of the NCAA Division III Tournament at Middlebury College.
The win moves #14-ranked Rochester to 18-3 on the season and matches the school record for wins in a season, while Husson, upset winners in the opening round, bows out with a 13-6 record on the year. The Yellowjackets advance to the national quarterfinals for the third time in school history and will take on regional host and #2-ranked Middlebury on Sunday at 1 pm for a spot in the NCAA final four.
Rochester's first penalty corner of the game yielded the first excellent scoring chance, when after a scramble, UR's
Claire Dickerson got off a hard shot from five yards out, but Anne Marie Provencal was strong in the Eagle net, kicking the ball away.
In the 8th minute, Husson's Sadie Royer provided the Eagles with their first good chance, dribbling in close in the circle, but keeper
Kiran Sundaram stood tall, making a kick save keeping the game scoreless.
Lee ended up opening the scoring in the 22nd minute of the first half, tapping in a cross from teammate
Nancy Bansbach at the right post, just slipping the shot past the outstretched leg of Provencal.
Sundaram made two saves in the victory.
Five minutes later, Bansbach nearly scored for herself, hitting a nice mid-air tip shot off a
Colleen Maillie shot from the top of the circle right on Provencal, but the Eagle senior keeper made the save, sending the teams to intermission with Rochester in front 1-0.
Husson was able to strike quickly in the second half, evening the score at 1-1. Just 47 seconds in, the Eagles Mikayla Toth sent a long hit from well outside the arc into the circle and found the stick of Taylor Shaw who had slipped behind the Yellowjacket defense, tipping the ball into the open net for the equalizer.
The Yellowjackets responded with two excellent scoring opportunities in the 39th minute, with
Maya Haigis and Dickerson getting off shots in close off a penalty corner, but Provencal made two of her 10 saves to keep the game tied.
Lee would then break the deadlock with her second score of the day at 39:29. Maillie gained possession around midfield and sent a pass from just outside the circle in on goal where Dickerson tipped a pass across the goal mouth to Lee who slammed her shot home for the 2-1 lead.
In the 50th minute, Husson's Lauren Russell had a chance along the right endline, dribbling into the circle about 6 yards from the cage, but Sundaram made a nice play coming out to cut off the angle and break up the opportunity.
At 63:31, Dickerson let off a shot from the left wing for Rochester that just trickled wide of the cage, narrowly missing an important would be insurance goal.
50 seconds later, Husson had its last scoring chance of the game go by the wayside as Shaw's tip shot of a long hit into the circle just missed the UR net wide. That play was very similar to the one which the Eagles scored the tying goal on.
Sundaram ended up making two saves for Rochester in goal, while picking up her ninth win of the season.
For the contest, UR outshot the Eagles 19-8 and took seven corners to Husson's two.
