University of Albany: Heuser’s Five-Point Performance Lifts Field Hockey Past Ohio State 4-0 - UAlbany Sports 2014

Courtesy: UA Sports ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany field hockey team (3-0) wrapped up its three-game homestand on Labor Day with a 4-0 win against Ohio State (0-2). Sophomore midfielder Paula Heuser had two goals and an assist for a total of five points against the Buckeyes. “It was a complete team effort this weekend,” said head coach Phil Sykes. “Today we kept our composure, and despite playing three games in four days I thought this was our best performance yet. Ohio State gave us a good early test, and we were up to the challenge.” Once again the Great Danes came out strong, scoring twice in the opening 10 minutes. After four penalty corners to start the game, Heuser finally converted on an insert from Fiori Van Rijswijk and a stop by Laura Page. Two minutes later captain Amy Nicklin poked in a penalty corner rebound to make the score 2-0. “We started off strong this weekend and wanted to take something good from every game,” said Nicklin. “It was nice to get three wins and come away with some positives.” With eight minutes gone in the second half, Heuser found the back of the cage again on a penalty corner fake from Page and Van Rijswijk. The goal was her sixth of the season and her 14th point of the weekend. Freshman Anna Bottino wrapped up scoring seven minutes shy of the end of the game. Senior defender Jordyn Homyak received a give-and-go down the left side and made her way into the circle to find Bottino. The assist was her second career point. In a rematch of the 2010 NCAA First Round at Penn State, the Purple & Gold out-shot Ohio State 21-3, and held an 11-1 advantage on penalty corners. Maxi Primus recorded her third consecutive shutout win in the cage with one save. In three games this weekend, UAlbany allowed just 15 shots and six on goal. The Great Danes are averaging 4.67 goals per game, and have taken 25 penalty corners to their opponents’ nine. The Purple & Gold faces its toughest game so far this season when it travels to No. 5 Syracuse (2-0) next Saturday, Sept. 6. UAlbany will then continue on to Cornell for a game at 1:00 p.m., in Ithaca, N.Y., on Sunday.