FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State field hockey team dropped their Tuesday home game to No. 5 Indiana (Pa.) by a 3-1 final.
The Crimson Hawks looked to start quickly with possession in their attacking zone, testing freshman goalkeeper Jenna Yazzetti with a shot in the second minute of the game. After working their way up the field, the Bobcats earned a penalty corner at the other end, where senior Morgan Sparks would insert the corner to classmate Mikyla Rineer, who ripped her shot into the bottom right corner of the goal for a 1-0 lead. With just under five minutes to go, sophomore Brooke Saul had an excellent chance to double the advantage, however Celeste Pagliaroli palmed her effort away in the IUP goal. Indiana then worked the ball to the top of the circle for the final attempt of the quarter, which Grace McGeehan put well wide.
FSU went down to 10 players to open the second frame after a green card was issued, as Yazzetti stood up to the task to protect the lead, making a pair of stops three minutes apart while IUP sent another shot wide. Frostburg would lock down defensively for much of the quarter from that point, even fending off another woman-down situation. In the final 90 seconds, the Crimson Hawks earned a penalty corner but could only fire wide, heading into the half still down by a goal.
Indiana came out of the break with a flurry of chances, earning three corners in the first six minutes from which they put two shots off target and Yazzetti produced back-to-back stops. A giveaway in the back forced Yazzetti into another save, then after a shot got by her, junior Taylor Korczynski was there to cover, clearing the ball away from the goal on a defensive save. With just under seven minutes left of the quarter, Lucia Cisilino made a run through midfield before finding Lauren Horning in behind the Bobcat defense, hitting past Yazzetti to tie things at 1-1. The Crimson Hawks kept up the pressure, with Yazzetti producing another stop before Horning fired wide and Kylee Hager had her shot blocked before the third came to a close.
IUP's defense kept Frostburg from being able to get much attacking play in opening the fourth, where McGeehan had a chance four minutes in but was denied by Yazzetti. At the other end, senior Emma Price made a run into the arc but couldn't get enough power on her shot to beat Pagliaroli. After a pair of Indiana efforts were blocked by FSU defenders, the visitors would eventually break through, with Lily Finger's effort off a corner being deflected to the back post for Sydney Schmouder to squeeze over the goal line and take a 2-1 lead. Three minutes later, Kasey Rieger received the ball in the middle of the circle, where she maneuvered the ball and dribbled into a shooting position, netting the third of the day for an insurance goal. The remaining five minutes would be all Crimson Hawks, with a pair of shot being blocked and the last saved by Yazzetti, closing things out on their 3-1 win.
IUP finished the game with 24 shots to the Bobcats' three, as Yazetti made nine saves.
With the loss, Frostburg is now 6-11 on the year, while Indiana moves to 12-4 overall. The Bobcats will finish the season out with their senior day at home against No. 7 West Chester on Saturday, November 7 at 1 PM. For more information please visit frostburgsports.com.
