MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Despite a gritty performance that saw the Wesleyan field hockey team erase an early deficit, the Cardinals couldn't hold off No. 18 ranked Bryn Mawr as the Owls scored twice in the fourth quarter to earn a 3-1 win from Smith Field on Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals drop to 4-1 on the season while Bryn Mawr remains unbeaten at 5-0.
 
An uneventful first quarter featured only two shots and no penalty corners, with Kiernan McColgan '26 recording a defensive save on a shot from Novy Goetgeluk to keep the game scoreless.
 
Bryn Mawr managed to breakthrough with the game's first goal nearly 10 minutes into the second quarter. Thekla Jubinville carried along the arc and fired a shot towards the cage. With the ball loose in front, Sophie Vagts was there to nudge home the game's first goal to send the Owls into a 1-0 lead at the half.
 
Undeterred by the tally, Wesleyan fought back as Imani Ochieng '25 sent a perfect pass upfield that Georgia Adams '26 handled perfectly, seamlessly transitioning into a run up field as she carried in on the goalkeeper. With Charlene Basque coming far off her line, Adams slid home a shot inside the far post as the Cardinals evened the score.
 
Wesleyan very nearly took the lead after the restart as Kenzie Kelly '25 carried into the arc and got a shot off but was denied by Basque.
 
Just a few minutes later, Bryn Mawr generated a great initial shot off a penalty corner from Maggie Barilla that was saved by Audrey Pace '26, but the rebound kicked to Vagts who was denied off the line by Kelly.
 
The chances prolonged for the Owls throughout the rest of the third quarter, with three penalty corners coming in the final minute alone, but all came and went without a goal as the score remained tied heading into the fourth.
 
After looking threatening for the past five minutes, the Owls finally cashed in with a goal from Izzy Robinson-Cloete that stood as the game-winner. Reba Ervin made a great run with the Cardinal defense sprinting back. Ervin's initial attempt was saved by Pace but Robinson-Cloete lifted a shot off the rebound that made found the back of the net.
 
Trailing by just one, Wesleyan generated their first and only penalty corner of the game with 5:41 remaining and saw Kelly take a swing at the far post that was saved by Basque and the rebound came out to the inserter Ochieng who missed wide.
 
Bryn Mawr then regained control of play and on their 11^th penalty corner of the game, the Owls finally cashed in as Jasmine Peterson knocked in the insurance marker with Ervin being credited with the assist.
 
The Owls outshot the Cardinals 22-5 for the game and generated a 11-1 edge in penalty corners in what was the first all-time meeting between the two sides.
 
Adams scored her sixth goal of the season which is the most on the team and tied for first in the NESCAC. Ochieng recorded her third assist of 2023. Pace made five saves while playing all 60 minutes.
 
After a busy week with three non-conference games in five days, the Cardinals don't play again until next Saturday where they welcome national power Trinity at 11 AM and follow with another NESCAC battle against Hamilton on Sunday at 1 PM.