The field hockey team was on the road this weekend, battling Lafayette in a tough match until the very last whistle. The Leopards had the lead for the first half of the game, going up 2-0, but the Raiders didn’t give up for a second. They gave a hard fight and fell short by just one goal in overtime play, when Lafayette’s first-year midfielder Anna Steps scored her first and game-winning goal 1:15 into overtime.

Senior goalkeeper Maria Krull had yet another outstanding performance and was a crucial force on the defensive end for the Raiders. She held her own with a remarkable sixteen save game, which put her at 446 total saves in her career and now sixth place in all-time program history. Although a key player throughout the entirety of the game, Krull stood out most in the second half, stopping all twelve shots she faced. 

“On Saturday we opened up our Patriot League play with a tough game against Lafayette. The team showed a lot of grit and character by coming back from a two goal deficit to force the overtime. And although the outcome was not what we wanted, it is a game we can learn from and build on in order to prepare for the remainder of our season,” Krull said.

Lafayette’s first two goals came in pairs as they were scored within two minutes of each other late in the first half, putting them up 2-0. The first goal came off a rebound as Sam Di Maio buried the ball to get a 1-0 lead. Next, senior forward Rosie Shanks scored on a penalty corner and the Leopards went up 2-0.

This two goal deficit did not phase the Raiders as they continued to push through and bounce back with an incredible showing in the second half. Just like Lafayette, the goals came in pairs and the game was quickly tied up within twelve minutes of the second half.

First-year midfielder Michaela Corvi scored her second goal of the season and the first of the game to spark the offensive play for the Raiders early in the second half. And just six minutes later, Colgate was awarded a penalty stroke that senior defender Molly Klare buried into the back of the net past Lafayette’s goalkeeper, sophomore Sarah Park.

Tied, the game went into overtime, and unfortunately the Raiders fell to the Leopards. However, head coach April Cornell was proud of the team’s performance.  

“I am extremely proud of our effort and tenacity today. Lafayette is a very fast and skilled team, and we stuck to our game plan. Every game play, we get stronger and stronger and I know if we continue to compete like we did today we will be successful,” Cornell said.

Sophomore Emily Lambert was not discouraged by the loss.

“It’s always tough losing, especially in overtime, but overall we played awesome and I’m excited to show the rest of the patriot league the new Colgate field hockey team,” Lambert said.

The Raiders are ready to bounce back from this loss and face their next challenge, away against Holy Cross on Saturday, September 23 at 12:05 p.m. 

Contact Kate Kelly at [email protected].