Box Score

VILLANOVA, Pa. - The Villanova field hockey team (2-4, 0-0 BIG EAST) suffered a 5-2 defeat on Saturday afternoon in New York at the hands of the Columbia Lions (2-1, 0-0 Ivy).

Columbia led 2-0 at halftime after goals roughly ten minutes apart. Kyle Marsh scored the first goal for the Lions off a penalty corner nine minutes in. Leah Matthews then scored after Christina Freibott picked up a turnover and drove down the middle of the circle for the assist.

Villanova got back within one when junior Heather Smillie (Coopersburg, Pa./Southern Lehigh) scored her second goal of the season on a penalty corner. She was assisted by senior captains Maddy Harding (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks) and Abigail Freitag (Bridgeton, N.J./Cumberland Regional) six minutes into the final half.

With the assist, Freitag now leads the squad with seven points on the year with two goals and three assists.

Columbia's Zoe Blake then notched a pair of goals to give the Lions a 4-1 lead, the first off a penalty corner and the second on a long shot from a broken up play by the Wildcat defense.

VU tried to edge its way back in when freshman Francesca Bello (Princeton, N.J./Hun School) made it 4-2 on a backhanded goal, the second of her career, as she and Kayla Kenney (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks South) capitalized on a Columbia turnover. Kenney was credited with an assist on the play with 10 minutes remaining in the contest.

Less than two minutes later, Columbia notched its fifth and final score as Caroline Donnal centered a pass to Katie Rusterholz for her second goal of the season.

Wildcat freshman goalkeeper Jordyn Clipstone (Harare, Zimbabwe/Hellenic Academy) earned her sixth career start in as many affairs, making six saves while allowing four goals. She was relieved in the cage for the final 10:03 minutes by junior Kristina Roberts (Potomac, Md./Winston Churchill), who saw her first action of the season and her collegiate career. Roberts made two saves and allowed one goal.

After four roads games, the Wildcats return home next weekend for a set of games at Villanova Stadium against Delaware on Fri., Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. and Saint Joseph's on Sun., Sept. 21 at noon. The games mark the second and third home games of the season. Villanova played five of its first six games on the road to open the fall campaign.

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