AMHERST, Mass. – The Lock Haven field hockey team (12-7) capped a historic season in the Atlantic 10 (A-10) postseason against the No. 2 seed Massachusetts (14-5). The Minutewomen took the semifinal showdown, 4-2, but the Bald Eagles close 2022 with the program’s most wins since 2015 and an undefeated home record for the first time since 2003.
Making their third A-10 semifinal appearance in the last four years, the Bald Eagles got locked into a defensive first period. Neither side managed a shot as both defenses were up to the task in the win or go home matchup.
Early in the second period, Jazmin Palma (Entre Rios Providence Argentina/Colegio Sagrado Corazon de Jesus) gave Lock Haven the 1-0 lead from the penalty spot when she slotted it past the UMass goalkeeper. Yesterday (Nov. 2), Palma was named to the First-Team in the A-10 for the third time in her three seasons as a Bald Eagle.
The Minutewomen responded quickly and knotted things up at 1-1 when Jess Beech finished off a well-worked penalty corner in the 25th minute.
After the scoreless opening period, the action heated up in the second and UMass notched another goal from Paula Lorenzini off a penalty corner to pull ahead 2-1 with just a minute remaining in the half.
In an exhilarating second period, the two teams combined for 16 total shots, 10 penalty corners and three goals.
The No. 21 nationally-ranked Minutewomen picked up right where they left off in the second half and took a 3-1 advantage when Steph Gottwalls beat the keeper in the 33rd minute.
Giving The Haven life, it was Palma again from the penalty spot in the 40th minute with her 10th goal of the year to cut the UMass lead back to 3-2.
The Minutewomen, however, hit right back just a minute later when Mia Smith reestablished a two-goal lead at 4-2.
After the explosion of the second and third periods, the final period died down and despite The Haven’s best efforts to mount a comeback, UMass held on for the final minutes to take home the 4-2 victory.
UMass advances to Saturday’s (Nov. 5) final against the No. 1 seed Saint Joseph’s, who defeated VCU earlier in the day.
The Minutewomen held a slight 13-12 advantage in shots on the day, but Lock Haven held a distinct 11-6 lead in penalty corners. Amy Stevens (Castle Creek, N.Y./Whitney Point) led all players with six shots as she searched for a Lock Haven goal.
