Field Hockey ends stellar season in first berth to NCAA tourney
The Women's Field Hockey team fought valiantly against the Duke Blue Devils, but it was not enough to defeat the No. 2 team in the nation as they fell, 3-1.
Still, the team went into the game ready for an upset and filled with confidence in Durham, N.C.
"I thought that our team really stepped up against Duke," said head coach Steve Jennings in a press release. "It was a great effort on our part and we just fell short in the end."
The Blue Devils scored the first goal of the game with six minutes remaining in the half off a penalty corner, which put Duke up 1-0 going into halftime.
But the Eagles were quick to even the score in the second half. Junior Javiera Villagra took a shot that missed the goal by only inches. Then, senior Melissa Snyder controlled the rebound and found sophomore Maureen Daniel in the middle. The score was tied at one.
Despite great plays by the Eagle defense, the Blue Devils slowly wore at senior 'keeper Laura Miller and her teammates.
Duke put two penalty corners in the net, one with 21 minutes remaining and one 12 minutes later.
Miller ended with seven saves on the day, which included blocking one penalty stroke.
The Lady Eagles end their season with a 17-4 overall record and the Patriot League Championship title.
- LAURA RANDISI
Swimming and Diving team split games at Naval Academy, Men defeat Bucknell, fall to Navy as Women drop to both
Seniors Ethan Bassett and Dominic Szabo led AU Men's Swimming and Diving to its first Patriot League win of the season, over Bucknell by a score of 174-114. In the same meet, the Eagle Men fell to Navy 161-133 on Friday, Nov. 14. Meanwhile, the AU Women's team put up a strong fight, but fell to both Bucknell and Navy.
Bassett took first place in the 200-yard butterfly as well as the 400- and 800-yard freestyle. Meanwhile, Szabo took first in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke. Senior Erwan Jeffroy and sophomore Estebe Salgado also banked points for the Eagles, with a variety of second and third-place finishes.
The women's team was led by senior Jessica Lidstrom's first-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle, as well as second place in the 100-yard freestyle and third in the 50-yard freestyle. Junior Cameron Miller also notched points for the Eagles, with a second-place finish in the 800-yard freestyle, and third in the 200-yard butterfly.
The Eagles' next swim meet will take place at the George Mason Invitational on the weekend of Nov. 21 to 23.
- ELLIOT SMILOWITZ
