University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Massachusetts (Atlantic 10 Semifinals)
Spiders Streak Of Titles Comes To End In Atlantic 10 Semifinals
11/02/2007 | Field Hockey
Nov. 2, 2007
Box Score | Photos 
| SpiderTV Wrap-Up 
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The Richmond field hockey team overcame a 1-0 deficit to tie the game at the beginning of the second half, but Massachusetts scored their second goal on a penalty corner and held on for a 2-1 victory Friday in the Atlantic 10 semifinals.
The loss snapped a streak of 10-straight Atlantic 10 Tournament victories for the Spiders and ended Richmond's run for a sixth-straight conference title. The Spiders last loss in the Atlantic 10 Tournament came in 2001 to UMass.
Richmond has lost just three of 50 games against Atlantic 10 competition over the last six years, and two of them were one-goal losses to the Minutewomen this season.
"We spent a long, hard week in practice preparing and the team came out and executed the game plan very well," Luciod said. "We were able to generate some attack and very threatening moments in the circle area."
Massachusetts held a slim 8-7 advantage in shots and Richmond held a 6-5 edge in penalty corners, but UMass was able to convert two of those corners for goals.
The Minutewomen struck first with 4:42 remaining in the first half when Cher King scored off assists by Kristina Dorosario and Erin Parker.
Richmond tied the game just 1:46 into the second half when sophomore Sarah Blythe-Wood blasted the ball into the circle from the left corner and sophomore Adrian Pickar re-directed it into the back of the net.
Exactly four minutes later, at the 40:46 mark, the Hawks converted on another corner. Parker and Dorosario set up Jaime Bourazeris in what proved to be the game-winning goal.
"UMass was pretty hot on their corners today," Lucido said. "They got that extra goal that we were looking for and we couldn't find in the final minutes."
Richmond did have several opportunities to tie the game, including putting a barrage of shots on goal in one sequence, but the UMass defense was able to block each one of them.
Richmond junior goalkeeper Becca Weaver made three saves in goal, while UMass keeper Becky Letourneau also made three.
"I saw a team come together, build into a family and we really started peaking at this point," Lucido said. "As a coach, that is what you want. Expect a lot of great things to come in the future."
The loss marked the end of successful careers for seniors Erin Arthur and Tara Kelly. Arthur and Kelly were a part of three Atlantic 10 Championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances during their careers.
"I can't say enough about Erin and Tara, they were the two most outstanding leaders I have ever coached," Lucido said.
UMass advances to the Atlantic 10 Championship game to play Saint Joseph's, who defeated Temple 3-2 in the first game Friday.
