The 13th-ranked University of Louisville field hockey team fell 2-0 to seventh-ranked Connecticut Saturday afternoon in the BIG EAST semifinals Saturday at the Friar Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex at Providence College. The Cards are now 12-8 on the season.
“I thought we had good effort against a strong Connecticut team,”
said U of L head coach Pam Bustin. “If we had been able to play both halves the way we played second half, and had more determination to get the ball over goal line, we would be preparing for the final tomorrow.”
The 2009 BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year Loren Sherer provided all of the offense for the Huskies to send UConn (18-2) to Sunday’s final against top-seeded Syracuse.
The first half saw the teams play through 26 scoreless minutes before the Huskies got on the scoreboard with 8:46 remaining the first half.
Sherer used penalty corner assists from Kimberly Krzyk and Jestine Angelini to blast a shot past the league Goalkeeper of the Year Louisville senior Heather Bustanoby.
Connecticut took the 1-0 lead into the break after outshooting the Cards 5-1 and holding a 3-2 edge in penalty corners. The Huskies started the second half on their end of the field, firing off two shots - both stopped by Bustanoby - in the opening two minutes.
The Cardinals regained possession and had an opportunity to score when junior Nicole Youman got past a Connecticut defender and fired off a shot in front of the cage which was stopped by UConn’s Jestine Angelini for a defensive save. An ensuing penalty corner came up empty when junior Karah Nall’s shot sailed wide of the cage.
The Huskies went back on attack, drawing three corners and firing off four shots in a three-minute span. The Cardinal defense held strong with Bustanoby posting two more saves before Sherer connected on her second goal of the game on another penalty corner. Her nation-leading 30th goal of the season came off of a pass from Angelini to give the Huskies a 2-0 lead with 23:59 remaining in the game.
Louisville soon mounted another attack, but could not capitalize on three consecutive penalty corners as UConn’s Andrea Mainiero turned back shots by Youman and Nall to keep the Cards scoreless.
The Cards had one final chance to score when senior Kayla May came up with the ball in front of the cage, but her shot blocked by Rayell Heistand to keep the score 2-0. In the second half, Connecticut held a
7-6 edge in shots, while Louisville out-cornered the Huskies 5-3.
Bustanoby (12-8) collected seven saves in the game after Connecticut outshot Louisville 12-7, while the Cards held a 7-6 edge in corners.
Maineiro (18-2) had two stops for the Huskies.
U of L (12-8) will await news of an at-large bid to the 16 team NCAA tournament field. The selection show will air Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m on www.NCAA.com.
