For the second time in three days the Sweet Briar field hockey team cut a two-goal deficit in half within the final 10 minutes, but again the Vixens couldn't complete the comeback in a 3-2 loss to Notre Dame-Maryland at Thayer Field.



Sophomore Allison McLamb scored with under nine minutes remaining to bring SBC within a goal, but the Vixens didn't break through again despite some more pressure down the stretch.

Notre Dame had scored on its first rush of the game, with Taylor Clark-Hartman finishing off a 4th-minute shot from Ashley Fallon.

Sweet Briar tied it up later in the first half on a long midfield pass from Adelaide Hedge to release fellow senior Kimberly Orchowski. Orchowski had plenty of time to slot inside the far post and even things up at 1-1.

The visiting Gators struck minutes before halftime, as Katie Johnston shot past SBC goalie Katie Torretti and Kelsey Baumgart smacked it in off the goalline.

A slow start featured few chances for either team in the opening 20 minutes besides for Clark-Hartman's opening goal. Torretti made consecutive saves on Fallon, and Orchowski fired a dangerous ball across the goalmouth that Dayze Gaulin couldn't quite catch up to.

Orchowski continued to get behind the Gator defense, seeing a shot kicked away at the near post late in the first half. Just after halftime she ran onto a long ball from Eve Mergenthaler but Arianna Hudson came up with two pad saves for Notre Dame on the play.

Hannah Oybkhan's shot was also saved by Hudson in the 47th minute, along with a rebound chance for Emily Dallas. Soon after McLamb fired wide of the far right post on a dangerous break.

Notre Dame had a few chances late on the counterattack, including a cross from Fallon that went in off a defender but came from just outside the arc and was waved off. Rookie goalie Emily Dodson (who entered at halftime) made an outstanding save on Clark-Hartman with seven minutes left to play.

The Vixens held an advantage in both shots and penalty corners despite a loss for the second straight game. That included a 9-1 advantage in corners for the Vixens.

Sweet Briar (0-3) will be home again on Tuesday against Newberry.