MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Southern New Hampshire University field hockey team dropped a 3-2 decision to Southern Connecticut State University in Northeast-10 Conference field hockey action at Larkin Field on Wednesday. The Penmen fall to 1-16 and 0-11 in conference play, while the Owls improve to 3-14 and 1-9 within the confines of the NE-10. 

The Penmen opened up a 1-0 lead just under eight minutes into the first half, as junior Kaitlyn Ramsey (Warren, Mass.) collected her second goal of the season. Freshman Amaris Taylor (Tulsa, Okla.) started the offensive charge from the Southern New Hampshire defensive end and slid the ball up to Ramsey at midfield. Ramsey took the ball down the right side and fired a shot into the circle that ricocheted off an Owls' defender and into the cage.

Southern Connecticut was able to knot the score with 11:06 remaining in the opening stanza. Off a penalty corner, the Owls were able to work the ball down towards the goal line. After freshman Jill Piacitelli (East Greenwich, R.I.) stopped the initial shot, freshman Emma Farrel (Cheshire, Conn.) was able to tuck one inside the near post to make it a 1-1 game. Farrel would connect for two more goals before the half to put the Owls ahead, 3-1, at intermission.

The teams went back and forth throughout the majority of the second half before freshman Mikeala Gauvain (Salem, N.H.) brought the Penmen to within a goal with 1:10 left in regulation. Off a penalty corner, freshman Erin Frost (East Andover, N.H.) took the initial feed from Taylor and sent it over to Gauvain, who drilled a shot past junior Audrey Dolloff (Raynham, Mass.) for the first goal of her career to make it 3-2. 

Piacitelli recorded 12 saves for Southern New Hampshire in the setback, including eight in the second half. Dolloff earned the win after making five saves for the Owls.

The Penmen return to Larkin Field on Saturday at 1 p.m. when they host Bentley University in their season finale. Southern Connecticut also resumes its schedule on Saturday when it plays host to Saint Michael's College at 11 a.m.

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