PURCHASE, N.Y. – Coming off their first win of the season to wrap up a four game road trip, the Manhattanville field hockey team returned home on Wednesday afternoon for the first time since Aug. 30. The Valiants were unable to carry over the winning ways in their first contest since the 1-0 win at WestConn a week ago, falling 2-1 against visiting FDU-Florham. The loss drops the Valiants down to 1-5 on the year.

The entirety of the scoring offense came in the middle two quarters. The Devils struck first in the second quarter off a penalty corner. After receiving the insert from Sophia Candeloro, Dominique Rodriguez fired a quick pass to Abigail Antipas who buried the shot for the game's first goal.

FDU had little time to celebrate as the Valiants ended up responding two and a half minutes later. Manhattanville pulled even on a penalty corner of their own started by Shannon Keena (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River). Passes off the insert found their way to Taylor Benedetto (East Yaphank, N.Y./William Floyd) who fired the ball towards the cage. Devil keeper Emily Schlessinger made the save on the shot, but the rebound came right out Keena who sniped it past a diving Schlessinger for her first collegiate goal to even the contest up 1-1.

After a quiet opening 11 minutes of the second half, a pair of green cards in rapid succession put the Valiants shorthanded with 3:20 remaining in the third. The Devils took advantage, earning three penalty corners in a 14 second span. The pressure eventually became too much as FDU converted on their third chance with Julianna Medina scoring from Rodriguez with the pair of player advantages.

The Valiants were held without a shot over the final 22 minutes of play, unable to generate an opportunity to mount a comeback.

Hannah Doherty (Clarkstown, N.Y./Clarkstown South) suffered her first loss, allowing the two goals and making four saves. The sophomore sports a 1.17 goals-against average on the season.

Alyssa Monahan (East Fishkill, NY/John Jay High School) generated the majority of Manhattanville's offensive chances, accounting for four of the team's eight shots. She also had a pair of shots on goal, while Fiona Doherty (Clarkstown, N.Y./Clarkstown South) took a pair of shot attempts.

The Devils held a significant 14-5 penalty corner advantage, due in large part to the three green cards the Valiants had to kill off in the second half.

Up Next
The Valiants look to rebound on Saturday as the team heads to SUNY Morrisville for an 11 a.m. contest.

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