BRYN MAWR, PA – The University of Rochester field hockey team suffered its first loss of the 2026 campaign on Sunday, falling by a 2-1 score to Bryn Mawr College at Shillingford Field.
Rochester's record now sits at 3-1 on the year, while the Owls improve to 3-1 with the victory. Sunday's matchup was the first-ever meeting between the two schools in field hockey history.
Only two players for the Yellowjackets were credited with shots in the loss, as
Erin Foley and
Hannah Mehta provided the offense. Foley had UR's goal and three shots, while Mehta had five shot attempts, two of which ended on frame.
In goal, URochester used three keepers, as
Riley Leeser saw 30 minutes of action, with
Katherine Jensen and
Madeline Mitchell each playing 15 minutes. Mitchell made two saves while Leeser and Jensen were each credited with one.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Owls got the scoring started off a penalty corner in the 22nd minute. Carrie Povich inserted the play and ultimately got the score after deflecting in a left wing shot by teammate Julia Ward, sneaking the ball just inside the left post.
Shortly after halftime, Foley knotted the game at 1-1 with a goal in her second-straight game. The goal was an 8-yard right wing shot that slipped under the foot of Owl keeper Sydney Wright.
Sophia Marcotte sent a long ball up midfield to put Foley in position to score, with Foley weaving through the defense to find space in the circle for the shot.
Unfortunately for the Yellowjackets, the tie game did not last long, as less than a minute later, the Owls got a penalty corner and later earned a penalty stroke call for a foul in the circle. Bryn Mawr's Leya Patel stepped up to the mark and found the net for the 2-1 lead.
On the stroke, URochester keeper
Riley Leeser guessed correct on the shot location, but Patel's stroke found the gap just under her stick.
Two minutes later, the 'Jackets looked to respond with a pair of penalty corners. The first ended with a foul and turnover, with the second seeing Mehta rip a right wing shot from six yards that was kicked away by Wright.
UR retained possession after the save, and Mehta had another good chance, but her hard backhand from the center of the circle was blocked away by an Owl defender. Neither team got any shots off over the final eight minutes of the third.
In the fourth, Bryn Mawr was held without a shot, but Rochester only mustered two attempts as well.
Foley's shot with 12:20 left on the clock came after she corralled a loose ball in the box and shot a backhand from ten yards high and wide left.
With five minutes remaining, the Yellowjackets earned the final corner of the contest and that play resulted in a sweep shot by Mehta from the edge of the circle that ended up just wide of the cage.
For the game, Rochester held an 8-7 advantage in shots in what proved to be a defensive battle. The Yellowjackets also took five of the seven corners in the contest and ended with a 4-3 lead in saves.
Rochester returns home for its next contest, set for Wednesday afternoon at 4 pm against St. John Fisher.
