HAMILTON – The Colgate field hockey program had several individuals highlight play in a back-and-forth battle against Pacific on Thursday evening. Despite a 5-2 final in favor of the Tigers, junior
Remi Filippini notched her first career goal, followed by a first score of the season by sophomore
Meghan Minturn. In the cage, freshman
Anna Unger powered the Colgate defensive squad by posting 10 saves for her second double-digit save performance of the season, and was just one save shy of tying her career-high of 11.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Pacific was first to get on the board midway through the first half after a shot off the corner, although the Raiders quickly responded with a pair of goals before the end of the first half to build a 2-1 lead. Junior
Remi Filippini tallied her first of the season when she capitalized on Colgate's first corner of the game, redirecting the ball after a shot by sophomore
Taylor Casamassa. Just 3:33 later, some dodging of the Pacific defense allowed sophomore
Meghan Minturn to fire a low shot between the goalkeeper's pads to lift the Raiders to a 2-1 lead just minutes before halftime.
A freshman keeper, Unger was peppered with shots throughout the second half of the game, as Pacific rattled 14 off attempts at the net, with nine landing on goal. It wasn't until with just 16:19 remaining in regulation when Pacific tied the score at 2-2 with another goal off the corner, before running off late in the game for a 5-2 final.
STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
• A junior, Filippini recorded her first career goal off the corner to tie the game at 1-1. After marking an assist in her first year with the Raiders, and sitting out with an injury her sophomore season, it marks Filippini's first points since an assist against American on Oct. 22, 2016.
• After registering two goals in her freshman season, sophomore Minturn marked her first goal of her sophomore campaign unassisted.
• Just one shy of her career-high set on Sept. 1 against Albany, freshman keeper
Anna Unger posted her second double-digit defensive game of the season in 10 saves.
THE BOTTOM LINE
• Pacific 5, Colgate 2
RECORD UPDATES
• Colgate holds a record of 2-6 on the year.
• Pacific improves to a 6-3 record.
COACH CORNELL'S TAKE
"I think for both strikers, it was a really good breakthrough moment in the season. I know they [Filippini and Minturn] both have been working extremely hard. All season we've worked on connecting and on getting quick shots off, and working on getting themselves into good, dangerous positions in the attacking circle. I think their fortitude and composure in that circle really showed today to be able to execute in the way they did. Since those are things we have been working on all season, it was certainly great to see them do that today."
"I think [
Anna Unger] really organized our defense really well. When Anna steps up, and has that direct assertiveness, it really shows in her confidence in goal. She made some really key saves, and I think that also gave our whole defense that confidence too in knowing they had a goalkeeper who was really steady. It was really good leadership qualities out of her."
"Going into our conference play against Boston University, I think this game really prepares us well in the similar speed, and similar pressure on the ball. We were playing a much more up-tempo game, hitting our free hits quicker, and being more decisive with the ball. We stuck to our game plan today, and didn't let the tempo of the game dictate the play, and take away from what we wanted to do in possessing the ball and moving the ball well. I was really happy to see that."
UP NEXT
The Raiders return to Patriot League play on Saturday, Sept. 22 when they travel to Boston, Massachusetts for a noon start at Boston University. The Terriers are 1-0 in league play after grinding out a 2-1 overtime win at American on Sept. 15.
FOLLOW THE RAIDERS
For more information on the Colgate field hockey program, follow the Raiders on Twitter @ColgateFH and on Instagram at Colgate_FH.
