FIELD HOCKEY Hoyas Rule Over Rams Bruggeman Scores Penalty Stroke in Final Home Game By Julie Wood Hoya Staff Writer

Charles Nailen/The Hoya Senior back Bridget McConnell stopped the Rams.

The Georgetown field hockey team rebounded from a 5-0 loss to No. 8 Virginia Wednesday by defeating the Rhode Island Rams 3-2. Sophomore midfielder Elena Elster scored two goals, including the game-winner after senior midfielder and co-captain Aubrey Bruggeman scored on a penalty stroke in her last game on Kehoe Field, tying the score.

The Senior Day win brought the Hoyas to 10-4 on the season.

The Hoya offense dominated from the start, getting seven penalty corner opportunities in the first half. Elster was able to put the ball past Rams sophomore keeper Danielle Dangoia at the 22:29 mark to put the Hoyas up 1-0.

The Rams were stifled by the Hoya defense; they didn’t take a shot on goal until 25 minutes into the half. They had four corner opportunities in the half, but the Georgetown corner defensive unit, led by Bruggeman, managed to break up many of the Rams’ corner attempts before they even reached junior goalie Jessica Herring.

After the halftime break, however, the Rams were able to convert their first corner opportunity of the second half at 30:29. Senior forward Marcie Bourski tied the score. Rams junior midfielder Jess Weber followed up Bourski’s goal with another score on the very next corner opportunity, giving URI the lead, 2-1.

However, the Hoyas did not give up despite the Rams’ lead.

“We just said, keep attacking and you have to trust that [the goals are] going to come, and you have to feel good about it. Even when we were down, we just had so much confidence, and we really felt like we were going to win the game, and we felt like we were going to score,” Head Coach Laurie Carroll said.

The Hoyas had several opportunities to tie the game following Weber’s goal. They had five corners within nine minutes, but were unable to convert on any of them.

On the last corner however, the Rams committed a foul which allowed the Hoyas to take a one-on-one penalty stroke. Carroll immediately called upon Bruggeman to take the shot.

“I had to call her number on the stroke. You know, it’s Senior Day, and I just looked at her, and we all knew she was going to score it. It was just so fitting. It was probably the most beautiful stroke she’s ever taken. It was just perfect,” Carroll said.

Bruggeman lifted the ball over the righthand shoulder of the diving Dangoia to get the Hoyas back in the game.

Less than two minutes later, the Hoyas had another penalty corner opportunity, which was broken up by the Rams defense, but was not cleared from the circle. Freshman back Meghan Leahy was able to control the ball and pass it to Elster, who knocked it in for the game-winning goal.

Carroll was happy with the way her team focused on gathering rebounds and taking advantage of second chances. “That goal that Elena scored came from second effort,” Carroll said. “Whether it was the mids or whether it was Megahen Leahy from the back, or [sophomore forward Shelby Samperton] or [sophomore back Nora Mirando] feeding the ball back into the circle and giving us more opportunities, they just felt confident even if we were down.”

The game was the last on Kehoe field for senior defenders Cecilia Kline and co-captain Bridget McConnell as well as Bruggeman.

“[The seniors] just mean so much, not just their play on the field, but their leadership and the way they care about this team. They’re the best leaders that I’ve ever had,” Carroll said.

The Hoyas, one of two Independent Conference teams in NCAA Division I field hockey, put in a bid for the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference post-season tournament. The Hoyas were selected to compete in the tournament last year, their first post-season appearance in program history. This year’s selection is yet to be determined.

Georgetown will play its final game of the season tomorrow, traveling to take on the University of Richmond at 3 p.m. The game was originally scheduled for Sept. 14 but was postponed due to the events of Sept. 11.

2001 Field Hockey Team Page Schedule

FIELD HOCKEY Hoyas Rule Over Rams Bruggeman Scores Penalty Stroke in Final Home Game By Julie Wood Hoya Staff Writer

Charles Nailen/The Hoya Senior back Bridget McConnell stopped the Rams.

The Georgetown field hockey team rebounded from a 5-0 loss to No. 8 Virginia Wednesday by defeating the Rhode Island Rams 3-2. Sophomore midfielder Elena Elster scored two goals, including the game-winner after senior midfielder and co-captain Aubrey Bruggeman scored on a penalty stroke in her last game on Kehoe Field, tying the score.

The Senior Day win brought the Hoyas to 10-4 on the season.

The Hoya offense dominated from the start, getting seven penalty corner opportunities in the first half. Elster was able to put the ball past Rams sophomore keeper Danielle Dangoia at the 22:29 mark to put the Hoyas up 1-0.

The Rams were stifled by the Hoya defense; they didn’t take a shot on goal until 25 minutes into the half. They had four corner opportunities in the half, but the Georgetown corner defensive unit, led by Bruggeman, managed to break up many of the Rams’ corner attempts before they even reached junior goalie Jessica Herring.

After the halftime break, however, the Rams were able to convert their first corner opportunity of the second half at 30:29. Senior forward Marcie Bourski tied the score. Rams junior midfielder Jess Weber followed up Bourski’s goal with another score on the very next corner opportunity, giving URI the lead, 2-1.

However, the Hoyas did not give up despite the Rams’ lead.

“We just said, keep attacking and you have to trust that [the goals are] going to come, and you have to feel good about it. Even when we were down, we just had so much confidence, and we really felt like we were going to win the game, and we felt like we were going to score,” Head Coach Laurie Carroll said.

The Hoyas had several opportunities to tie the game following Weber’s goal. They had five corners within nine minutes, but were unable to convert on any of them.

On the last corner however, the Rams committed a foul which allowed the Hoyas to take a one-on-one penalty stroke. Carroll immediately called upon Bruggeman to take the shot.

“I had to call her number on the stroke. You know, it’s Senior Day, and I just looked at her, and we all knew she was going to score it. It was just so fitting. It was probably the most beautiful stroke she’s ever taken. It was just perfect,” Carroll said.

Bruggeman lifted the ball over the righthand shoulder of the diving Dangoia to get the Hoyas back in the game.

Less than two minutes later, the Hoyas had another penalty corner opportunity, which was broken up by the Rams defense, but was not cleared from the circle. Freshman back Meghan Leahy was able to control the ball and pass it to Elster, who knocked it in for the game-winning goal.

Carroll was happy with the way her team focused on gathering rebounds and taking advantage of second chances. “That goal that Elena scored came from second effort,” Carroll said. “Whether it was the mids or whether it was Megahen Leahy from the back, or [sophomore forward Shelby Samperton] or [sophomore back Nora Mirando] feeding the ball back into the circle and giving us more opportunities, they just felt confident even if we were down.”

The game was the last on Kehoe field for senior defenders Cecilia Kline and co-captain Bridget McConnell as well as Bruggeman.

“[The seniors] just mean so much, not just their play on the field, but their leadership and the way they care about this team. They’re the best leaders that I’ve ever had,” Carroll said.

The Hoyas, one of two Independent Conference teams in NCAA Division I field hockey, put in a bid for the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference post-season tournament. The Hoyas were selected to compete in the tournament last year, their first post-season appearance in program history. This year’s selection is yet to be determined.

Georgetown will play its final game of the season tomorrow, traveling to take on the University of Richmond at 3 p.m. The game was originally scheduled for Sept. 14 but was postponed due to the events of Sept. 11.

2001 Field Hockey Team Page Schedule