Box Score

Lowell, Mass. – The Millersville field hockey team provided plenty of excitement this Labor Day weekend. For the second time in as many days the Marauders went to strokes to complete a game. On Sunday, however, No.  9 Millersville fell to No. 1 UMass Lowell, 4-3.

The Marauders (1-1) took an early lead on the reigning national champions. Junior Ashley Weber put Millersville on the board less than two minutes into the contest when her shot went off a River Hawk defender and into the goal.

In the 22nd minute, freshman Katelyn Zapp pushed the Marauders' lead to 2-0 after taking a corner pass from Brittany Anderson and put it past UMass Lowell keeper Melanie Hopkins.

The River Hawks (1-1) saw themselves down two but continued to control the offensive zone. UMass Lowell outshot the Marauders in each period with a combined margin of 23-12.

Annie Hansbury found teammate Melissa Effertz in the 30th minute to cut the Millersville lead in half. Effertz beat Millersville keeper Lauren Sotzin on the weak side.

Sotzin, getting her second-straight collegiate start, stepped up to the challenge once again. In regulation, Sotzin made seven of her nine saves while facing 12 shots in the second half alone.

Sophomore Emily Litchford extended the Marauders' advantage back to two when freshman Mary Atkins passed the ball on a corner attempt to find Litchford. Millersville had a 3-1 lead with 25 minutes to play in regulation.

UMass Lowell picked up its game in the second half, firing 12 shots in the session. The River Hawks shortened the lead to 3-2 when Effertz scored her second goal of the game on a pass from Ali Ferraro. Just two minutes later, Effertz scored her third goal to finish the hat-trick and knot the game at 3-3 with 18 minutes to play.

Like Saturday, the Marauders played through two scoreless overtime periods to force a stroke-off.

The River Hawks scored in each of their first three attempts while Millersville only capitalized on its third when freshman Rachel Dickinson got one past the keeper. Zapp kept the game alive after scoring on the Marauders' fourth attempt.

The last attempts were missed by both teams, giving UMass Lowell's Kayla Littig the game-winner in strokes.

Millersville returns home on Saturday, Sept. 10 when it hosts No. 2 Shippensburg at 1 p.m.