No. 2 Maryland Holds Off No. 11 Drexel, 4-2, in Buckley Field Thriller

Friday, August 27

Buckley Field

7:00

Drexel University

Maryland

This deflection from Christina Mastropaolo that found the inside top netting brought Drexel to within a goal of No. 2 Maryland with 4:15 remaining

No. 2 Maryland Holds Off No. 11 Drexel, 4-2, in Buckley Field Thriller

8/27/2010 9:24:10 PM | Field Hockey

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Philadelphia - Christina Mastropaolo scored with just over four minutes remaining to bring No. 11 Drexel to within 3-2 to No. 2 Maryland but the Terrapins were able to hold off the Dragons and claim a 4-2 victory. The Terrapins held a 3-0 halftime advantage at a standing-room only Buckley Field before the Dragons went on a second-half tear. Four different players scored for the Terrapins while Tunell scored the Dragons' other goal in both teams' season-opener.

Drexel senior Jen Cairone set up the thrilling finish with a great individual effort as the forward took the ball away from a Maryland defender who was looking to clear the ball. Cairone gained possession of the ball and dribbled down the right side and into the circle. She fired the ball toward the far post where an on-coming Mastropaolo made a diving effort to deflect the ball high into the left corner of the netting. The goal brought Drexel to within a goal at 3-2 with 4:15 remaining and put the Buckley Field crowd into a frenzy. Unfortunately for the Dragons, the hosts were not able to get the ball into the circle for the rest of the game while the Terrapins put the game away with a goal on a penalty corner with just 24 seconds remaining.

Drexel first got on the board with just over 17 minutes remaining as Kim Tunell rifled a shot into the right side of the cage that blew past a sprawled out Melissa Vassalotti in goal. Mastropaolo inserted the ball while Sofia Sanguinetti performed the stick stop as both were awarded assists on the play. The Dragons' second-half effort stunned the nation's second-ranked team as the teams each fired seven shots in the second period. Vassalotti was forced into making four saves after being unchallenged by a shot on goal in the first frame.

While Drexel had scoring opportunities and a pair of penalty corners in the first half, it was Maryland who threatened to run away with the game. Janessa Pope scored on a breakaway less than six minutes into the game after taking a pass from Katie O'Donnell on a counterattack off of a Drexel scoring chance. Colleen Gulick deflected a ball into the cage just over three minutes later to give the Terrapins an early 2-0 lead. Just before halftime, O'Donnell deflected a shot on a penalty corner that staked the visitors to a 3-0 advantage at the break before Drexel made its comeback bid.

For the game, Maryland outshot Drexel, 16-9, and held an 11-5 edge in penalty corners. Both teams registered four saves as Jenna Phillips lost just her fifth game in 24 career starts with the Dragons.