OSWEGO, NY – First-year Hannah Mehta scored twice, once in each half, to lift the University of Rochester field hockey team to a 2-1 victory over host Oswego State on Saturday at Laker Turf Stadium.
 
Mehta now has nine goals on the season, taking the Rochester team lead, as the Yellowjackets remain unbeaten, moving to 8-0 in the 2024 campaign. The loss drops Oswego to 2-4 overall.
 
After a slow start, Rochester was able to convert on its first shot attempt of the contest in the seventh minute. A penalty corner insert from Mara Heppard went out to the top of the circle where Kyla Byer swung the ball over to Kristina Fedorova at the left wing.
 
Fedorova then sent the ball in front with a sweep shot, where Mehta redirected it up into the top half of the net for the 1-0 lead.
 
As play switched to the second quarter, Oswego's Madi Stuckard unleashed a shot from the wing off a penalty corner, but UR goalkeeper Kara Houston was there to make the sprawling save to maintain the lead. It was one of two saves on the game for the junior keeper.
 
Later in the period, another penalty corner led to the Lakers goal. After the ball was inserted into the left wing, a Laker shot rebounded in front where Makayla Caldwell was able to sweep in the loose ball, knotting the game at 1-1 in the 25th minute.
 
A minute later, UR's Grayson Honig looked to regain the lead, but her backhand blast from the top of the circle was saved away by Laker goalie Sam Krautheim.
 
After intermission, the Yellowjackets mounted a strong offensive attack in the early part of the third quarter, earning three corners and three shots on goal, all of which were saved, in the opening five minutes.
 
The onslaught in the attacking zone continued into the 37th minute when Mehta notched her second score of the game flipping in a backhand shot off a rebound of her own attempt on another UR corner.
 
Shortly after, Oswego entered the circle and earned a corner. Bryleigh Beauchat received the corner and took a hard shot from the edge of the circle that sailed wide just wide of the cage.
 
Rochester's defense clamped down the rest of the game, holding the Lakers without a shot the rest of the game, holding on for the one-goal victory.
 
Overall in the game, Rochester outshot Oswego 25-5, while also leading 14-3 in penalty corners.
 
Up next is a battle of two unbeaten and nationally-ranked squads, as Rochester travels to #11 SUNY Cortland for a Wednesday matchup starting at 7 pm.