NEWARK, DE -- Casey Howard (right) scored both goals for the University of Delaware but the Blue Hens couldn’t hold off the University at Albany and dropped a 3-2 non-league field hockey decision Friday night at Rullo Stadium.

Michelle Simpson scored one goal and assisted on another and Kristen Holder’s goal early in the second half proved to be the game-winner as the Great Danes (5-2) won their third straight game. Albany defeated Delaware 3-1 in the only other game between the schools in 2001.

Delaware (2-5), which played without starting senior goalkeeper Megan Allen for the second straight game due to an injury, dropped its third straight game, including a 3-0 setback to top-ranked University of Maryland Wednesday afternoon. Three of the Hens’ five losses this season have been by one goal.

Howard, a sophomore from Camden, DE (Caesar Rodney High School), tallied both Delaware goals, cutting the lead to 2-1 on a tally with 10:52 left in the opening half and scoring the game’s final goal with 9:36 left to play. Howard now has four goals on the season as she recorded her fourth career multi-goal game and her second of the 2006 season.

Albany jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first 21 minutes of play as Vanessa Walter scored 18:33 into the game and Simpson scored her team-high ninth goal just two minutes and 29 seconds later off a penalty corner.

Howard put the Hens on the board with an unassisted goal with 10:52 left in the first half to cut the lead to 2-1 heading into halftime. But Albany scored what proved to be the game-winner seven minutes into the second half as Holder scored on a tip-in from Arlette Westdorp. Howard capped the scoring with a goal off a feed from freshman Alexis Esbitt (Sanford/Hockessin, DE) with 9:36 left but the Hens didn’t score again.

Albany outshot the Hens 16-10 and held a 9-4 advantage in penalty corners. Albany’s Ashley Ross recorded five saves to pick up the win while Delaware’s Nikki Rhoades (Cape Henlopen/Lewes, DE) stopped five Great Dane shots.

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