College Field Hockey: Quinnipiac University 3, Rider University 2

HAMDEN, Conn. - Despite a goal and an assist from freshman Allison Muschs (Linkebeek, Belgium), the Rider University field hockey team had its 25 game Northeast Conference regular season winning streak snapped with a 3-2 loss at Quinnipiac University on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 14).

Quinnipiac (9-5, 2-1 NEC) took a 1-0 lead on a corner play, 11:03 into the contest and the Bobcats led 1-0 at intermission.

Quinnipiac scored just 37 seconds into the second half, before Muschs scored her fourth goal of the season, converting a penalty corner from senior Marlaine Schneider (Feasterville, Pa./Neshaminy) and junior Sandra Penas (Barcelona, Spain), cutting the deficit to 2-1.

Muschs had eight of Rider's 22 shots.

Penas has 110 career points (44g, 22a) and is seventh on the Bronc all-time scoring list and Schneider has 99 career points (33g, 33a) and is 10th on Rider's all-time scoring list.

Quinnipiac responded to make it a two-goal game just under 10 minutes later at the 46:14 mark.

Rider had back to back penalty corner opportunities with less than 15 minutes left in the contest but could not convert as Bobcat goalie Nicole Lewis made 11 saves.

The Broncs cut the Bobcat lead to 3-2 with 2:28 left in the game on Gabby Burgo's ninth goal of the season with Muschs recording her fourth assist of the year but that was as close as Rider would get.

Rider (9-5, 2-1 NEC) out-shot the Bobcats 22-4 (13-3 in shots on goal) and the Broncs held a 14-2 penalty corner advantage.

Bronc freshman goalie Joelle Prettyman (Newark, Del./St. Mark's) started and made no saves for Rider, allowing two goals in picking up the loss.  Freshman Alicia Carthan (Bordentown) played the final 34:23 of the second half, making no saves while allowing one goal.

Rider defeated Quinnipiac 5-1 in Lawrenceville in 2011.  The Broncs beat the Bobcats 1-0 in overtime in Connecticut during the 2010 regular season and won 4-2 over Quinnipiac in the NEC semifinals in Lawrenceville enroute to the 2010 NEC title.

Rider defeated the Bobcats 1-0 in Lawrenceville in 2009, scoring with less than 10 minutes left in regulation.  Rider won 4-0 in Hamden in 2008 and 2-1 in overtime in 2007.  Before today's game, the Bobcats last defeated Rider in 2006 by a 3-1 score.

The Broncs have won 15 of the 26 games all-time over Quinnipiac.

Quinnipiac celebrated senior day with almost 400 fans in attendance at the QU Field Hockey Turf.

The NEC winning streak dated back to the October 26 of the 2008 season for the three-time defending NEC regular season champion Broncs when Rider lost at Lock Haven 1-0 in overtime.

During the streak, seven of the 25 games were decided by one goal and five of those games when into overtime, including Rider's two NEC wins this season.

The Broncs began NEC play Oct. 7 with a 5-4 overtime win at Robert Morris and the Broncs eked out a 1-0 double overtime win at Sacred Heart on Oct. 12.

Rider is 83-19 in NEC play under head coach Lori Hussong, who is in her 13th season and the Broncs have qualified for the four-team NEC playoffs in 12 straight seasons, entering the 2012 campaign.

The Broncs complete the 2012 regular season schedule with four straight home games on the Ben Cohen Field in Lawrenceville, beginning with a 4 p.m. game against Siena on Oct. 19.

The NEC regular season champion will host the four-team playoffs Nov. 2-3.

QU 11:03 ZIMNISKI, Lauren
 (TAYLOR, Jennalise & ROMANO, Christa)
QU 35:37 RUSIN, Jess
 (ALLAN, Danielle)  
RU 36:41 Muschs, Allison
 (Schneider, Marlaine & Penas, Sandra)  
QU 46:14 ENGELKE, Kristin
 (ZIMNISKI, Lauren) 
RU 67:32 Burgo, Gabby
 (Muschs, Allison)