In its final weekend of action before Ivy League play, the field hockey team looked to create momentum. Brown stumbled Saturday, falling to No. 20 University at Albany 6-0, but recovering Sunday with a resounding 3-0 victory over Hofstra University featuring two fourth-quarter scores.
Bruno (2-5) entered its game against Albany (4-3) on a four-game losing streak, but was unable to stop its skid, as the Great Danes rode a dominant first half to victory. A first-quarter barrage by Albany gave them a 2-0 lead after just six minutes and a 3-0 lead after just ten. Two minutes in the second stanza, Albany knocked in another goal off of a rebound to gain a commanding 4-0 edge. The Great Danes outshot Brown 11-6 in the first half.
Midway through the third, Albany’s Katie MacCallum recorded her second goal of the afternoon on a breakaway score. MacCallum capped her strong performance with a fourth-quarter assist to Cosima Rocktaeschel to cement the Great Danes’ 6-0 win. Calista Manuzza ’23, making her first start in goal for the Bears, recorded four saves in the loss.
Brown head coach Jill Reeve was critical of her team’s performance against Albany, which was tied for the Bears’ worst loss of the season so far.
“Our communication and the pace of our play was too slow, too casual,” Reeve said.
The Bears reversed their fortunes the next day against Hofstra (3-5). Danielle van Rootselaar ’22 started off fast for the Bears and launched a shot on goal just ten seconds into the contest. But it took Bruno until halfway through the second quarter to connect on its first goal of the weekend. Corinne Condie ’20 finished a shot from close range to give Brown a 1-0 lead.
While Brown was unable to extend its advantage in the third quarter, its defense clamped down to maintain the slim one-goal lead. Bruno did not allow the Pride to create a single shot in the period. Then, in the fourth quarter the Bears’ offense took over the game. Hannah Leckey ’20 and Anagha Nayak ’21 each scored in a three-minute span, giving Brown an insurmountable 3-0 edge. The Bears’ defense, led by Manuzza and Jodie Brine ’23, held on for the shutout.
“We kept pushing and creating opportunities, and we didn’t give up,” said Emma Rosen ’22 of the Bears’ late run.
“Hofstra got tired,” van Rootselaar added.
After a tough opening set of games that included nationally ranked foes such as Stanford University and Albany, the Bears will look to start a winning streak next weekend as they begin their Ivy League slate.
“We’ve played really good opponents, so we’re definitely ready to play the Ivy League games,” van Rootselaar said.
The Bears travel to Columbia Friday before returning home to face Dartmouth Saturday.
