Field Hockey Comeback Falls Short Friday Night Against Penn, 3-2

Friday, September 15

Buckley Field

7 p.m.

Drexel University

(3-4)

Penn

(2-3)

PENN

DREXEL

Photo by: Ryan Samson

Field Hockey Comeback Falls Short Friday Night Against Penn, 3-2

9/15/2017 8:42:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - The Drexel field hockey team's comeback attempt, after the Penn Quakers scored three unanswered goals in the first half, fell short Friday night at Buckley Field as the Dragons fell, 3-2. Drexel drops to 3-4 (0-0 CAA) on the year, while Penn improves to 2-3 (0-0 Ivy).

The Dragons were able to come out of the gates strong to get on the board, but Penn answered with three unanswered goals to close the opening half of play, which proved to be the difference in the game. Despite regrouping at halftime, closing the gap and pushing for scoring chances in the second half, Drexel ultimately ran out of time.

In the seventh minute of the game, the Dragons picked up the pressure. Following a Maria Palmieri shot off a penalty corner, Tess Bernheimer gathered the ball in front and found teammate Megan Wiest for the goal at 7:05. It was Wiest's second goal of the year and Bernheimer's first assist. Penn, however, would come storming back. Just over four minutes later, Sofia Palacios found Gina Guccione in front off of the penalty corner for the goal at 11:13. Then, two and a half minutes later, Penn struck again as Guccione found the team's leading scorer Alexa Hoover for the lead. Hoover now has four goals this year. Penn would add one more in the first half. The Quakers' penalty corner play at 24:37 saw Kelsey Mendell send the ball in, Paige Meily stop it at the top of the circle and Alexa Schneck send it to the back of the cage from the top of the circle to give Penn a 3-1 halftime lead.

Drexel looked much better after the break, and quickly halved its deficit. Tess Horan, who has now recorded a point in four consecutive games, found Delaney Baxendale at the top of the circle, and Baxendale blasted it past Penn keeper Liz Mata untouched for her first of the season just 128 seconds into the second half. The two teams would trade opportunities the rest of the way. The Dragons had chances, including Horan's shot in the 58th minute that was just barely deflected by Mata and the ball trickled wide. Penn then quickly flipped the field, and Hoover's blast from the right side found its way past Erin Gilchrist but hit the post and stayed out of the net. The Dragons would then have two penalty corner chances in the final minute of play, but Bernheimer had a shot blocked on the first and time ran out on the second before a shot was taken.

Gilchrist made two stops on the night to Mata's one. Penn led with 10 shots, five of which were on goal, to Drexel's nine shots overall and three on goal. The Quakers had five penalty corners to Drexel's four.

The Dragons return to action Sunday afternoon in the nation's capital with a matchup against No. 22 American.