Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (October 15, 2010) – The Vassar College field hockey team finally broke through the swarming defense of FDU-Florham with a contest-tightening goal in the game's 63rd minute, but the Brewers were stymied from that point on, falling to the Devils 2-1 under gusty winds and darkening skies at Weinberg Field on Friday night.

The loss drops Vassar to 2-12 on the season. The Brewers will resume Liberty League play on October 23 with a 3:00 p.m. home game against Rochester, followed by final home game of the season against William Smith on October 24 at 1:00 p.m. The victory lifts FDU-Florham to 8-8. The Devils next play at Eastern University on October 20.

With under 12 minutes to play in the game, senior forward Madeline Rooney scored her fourth goal of the season on a crossing pass through the crease that was deflected into the goal by an FDU player to bring the Brewers within 2-1. While Rooney's goal tightened the contest considerably, FDU-Florham was able to keep Vassar at arm's length for the victory.

The Devils controlled play throughout, out-shooting the Brewers 18-6, with 12 of those shots coming in the second half. The Devils held a decisive 13-2 advantage in penalty corners (9-1 in the second half) and scored their second goal of the game off a penalty corner. Sophomore forward Corey VanOrden tallied her second goal of the season off a feed from junior forward Megan Springmeyer in the 44th minute to put FDU-Florham ahead 2-0. VanOrden's blast from the top of the circle against Vassar freshman goalie Maggie Brelis seemed to put the Devils firmly in control of the game until Rooney scored Vassar's lone goal.

FDU-Florham scored the game's first goal off Brelis at 13:11 of the first half. Senior forward Lauren Fabrizio scored her fifth goal of the season off a rebound shot for a 1-0 Devils lead.

Most of Vassar's scoring opportunities came in the first half, orchestrated by the hustling play of junior forward Emily Maier, who was able to slip past the FDU-Florham defense on several occasions, but couldn't convert. Maier was stopped brilliantly at 32:55 by Devils goalie freshman goalie Tess Longhran, who lunged backwards to stop a ball from trickling into the goal off Maier's stick.

Brelis, who was coming off an 18 save performance against Union last Saturday, kept the Brewers in the contest with back-to-back first half saves off shots from sophomore midfielder Victoria Nedo and Springmeyer. She made four saves in the game and was replaced in the final 15 minutes by senior goalie Rachel Horwitz who made two saves.

Loughran made three saves for FDU-Florham. Freshman goalie Jaime Unkel was subbed in with under nine minutes to play and allowed Smith's goal.