Spiders Battle #21 American To The Wire

Friday, August 25

Crenshaw Field

5 PM

University of Richmond

(0-1)

#21 American

(1-0)

Team	1	2	OT 2	Final F
AMERICAN	0	4	1	5
Richmond	1	3	0	4

08/25/2017 | Field Hockey

Box Score

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. – The Spider Hockey season opener was a thriller. The Spiders battled #21 American to the wire on Friday evening at Crenshaw Field, but unfortunately fell to the Eagles in overtime.

Junior Olivia Hubert got things started for the Spiders firing a shot in the cage off a rebound from a corner. Richmond maintained a 1-0 lead at the end of the first half.

It didn't take long after the break, for American to strike back and even the score with a goal from Kathryn Roncoroni less than a minute in the half. Just two minutes later Rafaela Rubas got a shot off to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead.

The Spiders continued to battle and responded with two goals of their own to take a 3-2 lead. Freshman Florentine Beelaerts van Blokland notched her first collegiate goal tying the score up at 2-2 when she launched a shot from 15 yards out before senior Jessica Bishop found the back of the cage off a corner giving Richmond the advantage.

American tied the game at 3-3 before Rubas picked up her second goal of the game to put the Eagles ahead 4-3.

Richmond wouldn't go quietly. Three minutes after Rubas' goal, senior Megan Miller fired off a shot tying the game once again, and ultimately sending the game into overtime.

With just under three minutes remaining in overtime, American's Samantha McCormick tipped the ball in right in front of the cage off a pass to secure the victory for the Eagles.

Beelaerts van Blokland led the Spiders with four shots while Bishop had two. In her Richmond debut, junior Felicitas Heinzel notched six saves in the cage.

The Spiders return to action on Sunday when Drexel visits Crenshaw Field. Gametime is set for noon and will be available on SpiderTV.