ASHLAND, Va. - Despite outshooting their opponents 21-to-14, Oberlin College field hockey suffered a heartbreaking double overtime loss to Randolph Macon College in the season opener.
"The energy and positivity was phenomenal," said second year head coach
Tiffany Saunders. "We maintained possession really well, and put together all of the pieces we have been working on during preseason. We played a great game, just didn't get the result we wanted."
The Yeowomen simply outplayed the Yellow Jackets, outperforming them offensively with 11 shots on goal compared to the Yellow Jackets' five. The Yeowomen also earned 15 penalty corners to Randolph Macon's nine.
The Oberlin defensive front featuring
Emma Hahn and
Jennifer Krakower and significant play from the midfield kept senior goalie
Maggie Gossiaux virtually unchallenged in the first half, making just one save. Gossiaux finished with four saves in nearly 90 minutes in net.
The Yellow Jackets outshot the Oberlin women in the first half, 8-6, but the Yeowomen got more active offensively in the second stanza.
The Oberlin offense caught fire and outshot Randolph Macon 11-5 in the final 35 minutes of regulation, led by the efforts of
Ariana Enzerink and
Maureen Coffey. The veteran duo tallied eight shots each, with four of Enzerink's landing of frame, while Coffey finished with three shot on goal.
After a scoreless first half the Yellow Jackets pestered Gossiaux and the Oberlin defense early on in the second. After Gossiaux turned away a Randolph Macon shot at the 56:21 mark, the Oberlin midfield and defensive unit didn't allow another Yellow Jackets opportunity for the remainder of regulation.
The Yeowomen fired four shots at the Yellow Jackets' goal in the closing 13 minutes, but none could find their mark.
In the first overtime period, Oberlin outshot the Yellow Jackets 4-0, with attempts from
Amelia Huang and Krakower and two from Enzerink. The Yellow Jackets keeper, Kelsey Stanley, was called into question for three of the four Oberlin attempts.
In the final period of bonus field hockey, the Yellow Jackets managed only one shot attempt, which proved to be the difference maker in Ashland, Virginia. Under two minutes into the period, Randolph Macon's substitute, Taylor Acevedo, crept a shot into the Oberlin net.
"We had possession, made great passes, worked so hard and I couldn't have asked for anything else," commented Saunders.
Saunders and company will stay in Virginia to take on Christopher Newport on Monday, September 5 at 10 a.m.
