Meyer Stands Tall in Goal Despite 3-1 Loss to No. 11 Albany

Saturday, October 11

Hanover, N.H.

2:00 PM

Dartmouth College

ALBANY

Meyer Stands Tall in Goal Despite 3-1 Loss to No. 11 Albany

10/11/2014 3:47:00 PM | Field Hockey

By: Dartmouth

HANOVER, N.H. – Senior goalkeeper Ellen Meyer turned in a career performance Saturday afternoon with 17 saves despite being dealt a 3-1 loss to visiting No. 11 Albany at Chase Field.

The Great Danes (11-2) held a 40-1 advantage in total shots, testing the home team's defensive unit throughout. Big Green (3-7) sophomore Jenna Schwenk scored on the team's lone shot of the game in the fourth minute of play, but Albany responded with the next three, including two late in the contest to pick up the non-conference victory.

Meyer was the backbone of a defense that played relatively well despite the massive disparity in shot attempts. The group as a whole forced the Great Danes into taking numerous long-range shots that Meyer was able to see unobstructed and turn aside.

Coming into the game, Meyer's previous career high for saves was 13, a figure she nearly matched in the second half of Saturday's outing, turning aside a dozen in the final 35 minutes of play alone.

It wasn't just Meyer who had to be outstanding in Dartmouth's own end, Clare Detrick-Yee recorded two more defensive saves — her Ivy League leading third and fourth of the season, respectively. Fellow junior Brooke Van Valkenburg also pulled one off the line late in the game, giving the Green three on the afternoon.

Schwenk's first goal of the season and just the second of her career came on a scramble in front of the Albany goal early on. Freshman Julia Donald was able to corral a loose ball and push it across and through a sea of bodies to the waiting Schwenk for the open look and tally. That would be all the offense Dartmouth mustered in the affair as the Danes' top-ranked defense was stifling all afternoon, clogging passing lanes and intercepting the majority of crossing feeds and outlets attempts.

Trailing 1-0 in the first half, Albany's Paula Hauser broke through with the tying goal in the 21st minute on a corner play.

It would remain deadlocked at 1-1 until late in the game despite the offensive push by the visitors throughout. Pahila Arnold and Anna Bottino scored two goals just 44 seconds apart in the 61st minute of play to put the Great Danes on top for the first time all day.

Albany held a 15-0 advantage in penalty corners and a 23-1 edge in shots on goal as well.

Dartmouth returns to action on Monday when it plays host to Holy Cross at 3 p.m. in the second contest of a three-game homestand.