Oct. 18, 2008

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The 18th-ranked Providence College field hockey team fell to 11th-ranked Louisville, 4-1, in BIG EAST regular-season action on October 18 in Providence, R.I. The Friars fall to 9-7 overall with the loss and 2-3 in the BIG EAST. Louisville improves to 9-5 (4-1 BIG EAST).

The Cardinals put the pressure on early to take a 2-0 lead with back-to-back goals within a three minute span at 23:32 and 25:55. Lauren Schaefer struck first as she connected on her third goal of the season on a penalty corner option assisted by Tuli Lim. Karah Nall was the beneficiary of the second goal as she tipped in an initial shot taken by Nicole Youman during a corner. Youman was credited with the assist.

The Friars finally got on the scoreboard in the 33rd as sophomore Jaime Lipski (Dallas, Pa.) found junior Nellie Poulin (Oakland, Maine) who got loose in the left side of the circle. Poulin went one on one with Louisville's Heather Bustanoby and the ball initially as if it got away from Poulin, but with a diving effort at the left post, she was able to tip the ball into the back of the cage. It marked her 10th goal of the season and got the Friars within one (2-1) heading into halftime.

However, the second half was all Louisville. The Cardinals outshot the Friars, 9-1, in the final 35 minutes of action and tacked on two more goals to take a 4-1 victory. Schaefer notched her second goal of the game off a feed from Youman in the 57th minute off a penalty corner. Julie Anne Smith then recorded her second goal of the season with 21 seconds remaining in the game as she tipped the ball into the cage at the right post off a feed from Lim.

Junior goalkeeper Rachel Chamberlain (Branford, Conn.) recorded nine saves for Providence in the loss, while Bustanoby picked up the win for Louisville with one save.

Providence returns to action on Sunday, October 19 against Vermont at 1:00 p.m. The game will be played at the Friar Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex in Providence, R.I. It also will be televised locally via tape delay at 7:00 p.m., that evening, on Cox Sports (Cox 3).

- FRIARS -