SCRANTON, Pa.- The Juniata field hockey team was unable to complete a three-goal comeback, scoring two goals in the fourth period before falling 3-2 to Marywood on Wednesday afternoon.
The Pacers maintained full control in the first half of play, finding a goal in each of the first two periods while not conceding a shot to the Eagles.
Brittney McMullen made three saves in the first period before Marywood broke through in the 14th minute off a penalty corner, getting a ball into the box from range and getting a deflection in front of goal.
The Pacers' second goal came on the break, with McMullen saving the initial shot but tipping the ball to her right, where it was tapped in from a few feet out.
Juniata returned from the halftime break with its first shot of the game, as Sydney Witter's attempt was blocked by the defense. Marywood added another goal near the end of the third, as the Pacers played the ball back to the person who played in the corner, and she beat the keeper on the near post.
Juniata got one back three minutes into the fourth period off a penalty corner. Rossman serviced the ball into Colleen Creneti from the right side of the goal, and Creneti fired past the keeper on one bounce into the far post from 15 yards out.
After holding off a Marywood penalty corner, Juniata regained momentum with three straight penalty corners of their own, culminating in a Mallory Prince goal with five minutes left to get back within one. After playing in the penalty corner from the right side, Aimee Buffington got to a loose ball on the edge of a scrum and sent it across the box, where Prince shot from five yards out into the cage.
With a minute left, Witter played the ball in front of the box from the right, and Buffington deflected the ball to the far post, but the keeper made a save to confirm the 3-2 final score.
Witter ended the game with a team-high four shots, while McMullen saved six of eight shots on goal in the first half.
The Juniata field hockey team is back at Knox Stadium on Saturday at 1:00 p.m., as they host Landmark Conference opponent Goucher College.
