Sept. 3, 2009

Box Score

Stockton, Calif. - The Pacific field hockey team could not hold off Kent State in the final minutes of play Thursday afternoon and fell 3-1 at home on Brookside Field.

Both teams fired off four shots in the first half with each goalie picking up two saves. But in the 16th minute of play Kent State's Debbie Bell took a shot from the top of the circle off a penalty corner. Freshman goalie Ashlee Schlesier (San Diego, Calif.) deflected the ball off to the left where it was picked up by Laurie Wilkins who sent it in for the Golden Flashes. Kent State held their lead into the break.

The Tigers would remain scoreless until 13 minutes into the second half when junior Kelly Perkins (Gilroy, Calif.) threaded a ball into the circle through Kent's defense to senior Kiddy Leubane (Capetown, South Africa). Pacific's 2007 goal's leader made quick move past her defender to the right and sent the ball into the far left corner of the goal for her first points of the season.

Kent's Allison Kittelberger nearly gave the Golden Flashes the lead four minutes later. The senior received a pass a few meters inside the penalty stroke line and launched one off. But Schlesier made a diving save and managed to kick the ball away while still on the ground.

The game winning goal would go to Bell. She sent a ball into the upper left corner of the goal unassisted after battling it away from a defender. With less than three minutes left to play, Rachel Miller scored the final goal of the game assisted by Kittelberger after a penalty corner.

Kent State (2-1), who is currently receiving votes for national ranking, outshot Pacific 11-2 in the second half. Schlesier improved her save count to a new career high seven. The Tigers fell to 1-2 with the loss.

Pacific returns home on Saturday, September 12 to open conference play. They face rival California at 1 p.m. on Brookside Field.