Boxscore

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. - Although a goal by Tori Karsten knotted the game in the second half, the University of Delaware field hockey team could not complete the comeback as No. 19 Rutgers defeated the Blue Hens, 2-1, during non-conference action on Wednesday night.

Trailing by one at halftime, Delaware evened the score after Karsten (at right) took a pass from sophomore captain Florence Sijbrandij and deposited the ball into the back of the cage. Unfortunately, the Scarlet Knights answered just over eight minutes later to take a 2-1 lead that they would never relinquish.

The loss was the third straight for the Hens after they won back-to-back overtime bouts earlier in the season.

Early in the game, it was evenly-matched as the teams traded attacks. Although the Delaware defense held tough against Rutgers’ first three shots, the Scarlet Knights eventually got on the board first after Karen Brewster passed the ball in front of the cage before Amy Lewis tipped it past the Hens’ Nikki Rhoades.

The Blue Hens answered with an impressive onslaught just before halftime as the team fired four consecutive shots in less than a one-minute span. Rutgers held tough, though, as the defense blocked two shots before goalie Lauren Decerbo stopped one and Melissa Bowman made a fine defensive save to bat away the other.

Following halftime, the Scarlet Knights earned four quick penalty corners but each one proved to be unsuccessful. After withstanding Rutgers’ early run, Delaware answered in the 55th minute.

After Sijbrandij took the ball and sprinted into the Scarlet Knight zone, she found Karsten who quickly blasted her third goal of the season that knotted the game at one.

Despite the team’s newfound life, Delaware could not hold on as Rutgers went back on the attack, posting three straight shots before Jessika Hoh took a pass from Katie Feeley and tipped it into the net with just over seven minutes remaining in regulation.

Although Delaware called a timeout and tried to regroup during the break, the team could not answer Rutgers’ late rally as the Hens were shut out during the final moments of the match.

The Scarlet Knights held a convincing 11-2 lead in penalty corners, while the team also held a 15-8 advantage in shots. The two teams each posted three saves as Rhoades and Decerbo both performed well in the cage.

Delaware will return to action on Friday when the team takes on No. 15 California in Richmond, Va. at 1 p.m.