KARA NAPOLITANO

BOX SCORE

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Hayley Rausch (Severna Park, Md.) scored two goals and Jenna Lehman (Kingston, Pa.) made 10 saves, but the University of New Hampshire field hockey team was edged 4-3 in overtime by the 11th-ranked University of Louisville Saturday afternoon at Syracuse University’s J.S. Coyne Stadium.

Both UNH and Louisville are now 4-3 on the season.

Trailing 3-2 in the waning seconds of regulation, New Hampshire was awarded a penalty corner – its third of the half and the game. The Wildcats executed it perfectly, as Sarah Craigue (Concord, N.H.) swung a pass to Rausch and she scored with no time remaining on the clock to force overtime.

The Cardinals gained possession early in the extra session and Tuli Lim, in a one-on-one situation with Lehman, scored off a pass from Nikki Auker to end the game at 70:28.

The two goals and four points marked career highs for Rasuch and it was Lehman’s second double-digit save effort of the season. UNH’s Kara Napolitano (Waltham, Mass.) was credited with a defensive save, her first of the year. UL’s Heather Bustanoby finished with three saves, including two in the second half.

UNH took a 1-0 lead at 30:33 when Rausch converted a pass from Whitney Frates (Woodstock, Vt.) into a goal in a 2-on-1 breakaway.

Louisville tied the score with 1:37 remaining in the first half on a Nicole Youman goal off the Cardinals’ fourth corner of the half.

UL took a 2-1 lead just 1:08 into the second half on an unassisted goal by Hayley Turner off a rebound.

The Wildcats pulled even, 2-2, when Meg Shea (Melrose, Mass.) scored off a rebound at 64:23. Louisville regained the lead, 3-2, just 1:23 later on Youman’s second goal of the game.

New Hampshire returns to action Sept. 21 (1 p.m.) at No. 3 Syracuse University. The Wildcats’ next home game is Oct. 3 (4 p.m.) when they open America East conference play against Boston University.