Sept. 29, 2013

Box Score

CORAOPOLIS, Pa. - The Ohio University field hockey team (3-6) fell to Robert Morris University (7-3) by the score of 5-2 in Sunday’s match at RMU’s Joe Walton Stadium.

After Robert Morris posted the game’s opening goal, the Bobcats tied it up late in the first half, but RMU responded with three-straight goals to put the contest out of reach for Ohio.

“We were beaten by a team that was more adept at playing on the field turf surface then we were,” head coach Neil Macmillan said. “Their execution, especially on their attacking corners, was a lot better than our defense of those. We showed great energy and effort throughout, but didn’t do the best job in putting the ball in the back of the net."

RMU held a 9-7 edge in shots and 7-6 lead in corners for the game, including a 6-2 edge in the second half.

Senior Jessica Jue (Vancouver, British Columbia) continued her red hot offensive play of late, as she notched Ohio’s first goal and led the ‘Cats with two shots on goal in the contest.

“Jessica again played very well in the front line and the midfield,” Macmillan said. “She showed great vision and awareness this weekend, scoring yesterday and today as well.”

Junior Ashley Cureton (Henrico, Va.) also posted two shots and grabbed the ‘Cats second goal â€" which marked her first score of the season. Fellow junior Caelyn Hartley (Escondido, Calif.) also posted two shots for Ohio, while senior Luli Gomez Teruel (Salta, Argentina) and sophomore Clarissa Leickly (Gahanna, Ohio) registered assists for the ‘Cats in the contest.

Defensively, junior goalkeeper Brittany Walker (Elizabethtown, Pa.) played the entire match for Ohio, making four saves while allowing five goals in her 70 minutes of action.

The first goal of the game came 16 minutes in, as Colonials’ student-athlete Jamie Hartley posted a left-handed shot from 10 yards out to give Robert Morris a 1-0 lead.

Jue put the Bobcats on the board in the 29th minute with a one-timer from the penalty stroke line. Jue then took two penalty corners in the final two minutes of the first period to try to generate some offense for the ‘Cats, but Ohio could not score and the teams entered the break tied at one.

The Bobcats outshot the Colonials, 2-1, in the half and held a 4-1 edge in penalty corners in the stanza.

Robert Morris took back the lead (2-1) in the 41st minute on a goal from Jess Martin-Brown. Just three minutes later, Julianne Alspaugh extended that lead to two (3-1) with a goal from the right side.

As the Bobcats trailed by two, Hartley threatened with back-to-back shots in the 49th minute, but the ‘Cats could not take advantage as Colonials’ goalkeeper Erin Mckenzie saved the first shot before Hartley missed the second wide.

The Colonials were awarded a penalty shot at 53’ after a Bobcats’ defensive player covered the ball in the arc, which the home team converted to put Robert Morris up 4-1.

Cureton scored on an assist by Leickly at 54’ to put the Bobcats within two at 4-2. Cureton’s shot came from the left side of the attacking arc after the pass from Leickly, who posted her first career point in the match.

Walker made her fourth save in the 55th minute of the match, but the Colonials would strike once more, posting their fifth and final goal in the 60th minute to secure the 5-2 victory.

The ‘Cats offense threatened in the final minutes of the game when Leickly registered a well-placed shot that was saved by Mckenzie. Cureton fired one final shot for Ohio in the 64th minute, missing wide.

RMU won the game in the second half, as the Colonials held advantages in shots (7-5), corners (6-2) and goals (3-1) in the period.

Ohio returns to action with a pair of matches next weekend. The Bobcats host Miami (Ohio) on Oct. 5 at 1 p.m. and play at Ohio State Oct. 6 at 1 p.m.