Jessica Conroy	Megan McLaughlin	Cassie Mullen
Kathleen Keale	Elizabeth Franko	Krista Osborne

Box score

Photo Gallery (Courtsey of Dan Ceccacci)

The University of Scranton field hockey team battled nationally ranked Drew University until the final whistle on Senior Day, but could not pull out a dramatic victory, falling to the Rangers, 5-4, at Fitzpatrick Field on Saturday afternoon.

The Royals (12-4, 2-3 Landmark) rallied from one-goal deficits on three different occasions and held a 3-2 lead at halftime, but Drew (14-2, 5-0) scored with less than three minutes remaining for the deciding goal.

Scranton received a pair of goals from junior forward Cassie Mullen (Chester Springs, Pa./Villa Maria Academy), a goal and an assist from junior midfielder Kathleen Keale (Wall, N.J./Wall) and a goal from freshman forward Elizabeth Franko (Falls, Pa./Tunkhannock). Senior midfielder Jessica Conroy (Havertown, Pa./Merion Mercy Academy), junior midfielder Alyssa Fania (Annandale, N.J./North Hunterdon) and sophomore forward Krista Osborne (Blue Bell, Pa./Gwynedd-Mercy Academy) added assists.

The Rangers, who are ranked 20th in the latest top 25 poll from the National Field Hockey Coaches Association, scored quickly, taking a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute. But the Royals answered back when Keale tipped in a ball served up by Fania for her seventh goal of the season less than three minutes later.

Drew struck again in the 14th minute, but Mullen answered less than two minutes later on an assist by Conroy. She scored again 16 minutes later on an assist by Keale to give Scranton a 3-2 lead at the break. The two goals give Mullen nine on the season.

The second half started slowly for the Royals as Drew scored in the 45th and 59th minutes to take a 4-3 lead. But just 55 seconds after the Rangers moved ahead, Franko scored her second goal of the season on an assist by Osborne to tie the match at 4 with 10:05 to play.

But the Rangers scored with 2:11 left in the second half for the match-winning goal.

With the loss, the Royals remain in fourth place with one Landmark Conference match remaining. The top four teams advance to the postseason.

The teams each had 13 shots, nine penalty corners and one defensive save. Junior defender Bridget Brady (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Mt. St. Joseph Academy) made the defensive save for the Royals, keeping the game tied with just over seven minutes to play.

Prior to the match, the Royals honored their two seniors – Conroy and midfielder Meghan McLaughlin (Rye Brook, N.Y./School of the Holy Child) – for their four years in the field hockey program.

Scranton returns to action on Tuesday, Oct. 29, when it visits Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. for a non-conference match at 7 p.m. 

--ROYALS--