MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson field hockey team dropped an always thrilling matchup against the Allegheny Gators, 1-0.
 
The Presidents now drop to an 0-5 mark on the season, still in hopes of their first win on the horizon after another close loss.
 
The first quarter of the bout was owned by the Presidents offense as they logged a season-high 10 shots in the first. Midfielder Bailey Miller (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) input five corners in their best offensive opening quarter of the season, but to no avail.  
 
Allegheny registered their game-winning goal in the second with 10 minutes remaining in the half. The goal slipped through the cracks of the Presidents defense to allow a 1-0 Gator lead heading into the half.
 
In the second half, the Presidents got back to work on the offensive end logging four more shots and corners. The stout Gator defense held strong logging two saves and one blocked shot to neutralize the W&J attack in the third.
 
In the final five minutes of play in the fourth, the Presidents fired off seven more shots before the final buzzer sounded including three corners. W&J's valiant comeback attempt was cut short by saves on shots from Lindsey Blount (Lockport, N.Y./Starpoint), Sara Schriver (Greenville, S.C./Christ Church Episcopal School), Lily Giering (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) and Miller in the flurry of late offense.
 
Blount led the team in shots with six total and three on target. Giering led the team in shots on goal with four and racked up five attempts total. Schriver and Miller also tacked on two shots on cage before the conclusion of the bout.
 
Grace Erhard (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) took the loss after tallying all 90 minutes in goal with three saves protecting the cage.
 
The Presidents head west to face Oberlin in sights of their first victory of the season on Saturday (Sept. 21). The matchup has a scheduled start time of 12:00 p.m.