Despite another week of stifling defensive performances, including a combined five saves from goalkeeper Payton Rahn ‘25, Fairfield field hockey came up short in weekend matches against Yale and Lehigh.
It’s a familiar story for the Stags, who have allowed two or fewer goals in all five of their matches this season but have only one win to show for it.
Beginning the week on Friday night against the Bulldogs, Fairfield surrendered the game’s lone goal in the first 22 seconds when Yale’s Lily Ramsey capitalized off the ricochet from a save by Rahn. From that point on, the Stags defense tightened up, allowing just three total shots from the Bulldogs after the first period and surrendering two penalty corner opportunities through the entire match.
Offensively, the Stags outpaced the Bulldogs 10-7 in generated shots, as well as 11-2 in penalty corners. But as has been the case for most of the season so far, the team was plagued by an inability to convert those chances, putting just one of their 10 shots on goal and failing to find the back of the net.
Midfielder Noor Hellemans ‘27 led the way for the Stags with three shots, and first-year forward Beatrice Loevenich contributed the lone shot on goal coming off the bench. Defensively, Rahn racked up four saves in the contest, helping to keep the Stags within reach after the early goal from the Bulldogs.
Then, on Sunday afternoon, the Stags traveled to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to take on Lehigh in what was another defensive-oriented affair. Both teams were shut out in the first half, with the host Mountain Hawks generating just four shots across the two opening frames thanks to strong team defense from Fairfield.
Things changed quickly in the second half, however, as Lehigh found the net twice in the first three minutes of the quarter, first off a penalty corner and again off of a rebounded save from Rahn. A shutout for the remainder of the game still wasn’t enough for the Stags, as their inability to finish offensive chances hurt them once again.
Fairfield held a 16-12 advantage in shots, putting seven of them on goal, as well as an 11-7 edge in penalty corners, but once again finished the game with nothing to show for it.
Defender Pilar Mengotti ‘26 led the charge with five total shots, three of them on goal, with forward Konni Hoffman ‘26 also adding a shot on goal in all three of her attempts.
Aside from a 5-0 showing in their lone win of the season against Holy Cross, the Stags are averaging just 0.5 goals per game across their other four contests, all losses. The good news is that it hasn’t been for a lack of opportunities. Though it hasn’t shown on the scoreboard, the Stags have outshot their opponents in every game so far this season. If they can keep that up, it’s only a matter of time before some of those attempts start to get through, which combined with their high level of play on the defensive end, sets the team up well for the approaching conference schedule.
The Stags will try to focus on those positives as they prepare to host New Hampshire this Friday. Game time is set for 4 P.M. at University Field.
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