On their first road trip of the season, the Penn field hockey team defeated the Villanova Wildcats 2-1 on Friday, Sept. 7, at Villanova Field Hockey Field in Conshohocken.
Scoring on an assist from junior Alexa Schneck, sophomore midfielder Erin Kelly put the Quakers on the board in the 12th minute to tie the game 1-1.
Both offenses struggled in the second half, before senior midfielder Rachel Mirkin scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal in the 64th minute, on an assist by senior midfielder Paige Meily.
The Quakers had 9 shots on goal to Villanova’s 6. Junior goalkeeper Ava Rosati had 5 saves.
Penn has won seven straight over the Wildcats, and is 19-14-2 all time against the City Six rival.
On Sunday, Sept. 9, the field hockey team fell to No. 15-ranked Saint Joseph’s 4-0 at Ellen Vagelos Field. The Hawks scored 2 goals in each half. Kelly and freshman attacker Julia Russo each had a shot on goal, but neither could connect. Rosati had 4 saves. The Red & Blue had 2 shots on goal; Saint Joseph’s had 8.
Penn had won three straight against the Hawks, and is 14-8 versus Saint Joseph’s since 1976.
The Quakers take on the Iowa Hawkeyes on Friday, Sept. 14, in Iowa, and Drexel on Sunday, Sept. 16, at 1 p.m. at Ellen Vagelos Field.
