STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Fairfield University field hockey did all it could to work its way back into today's Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament semifinal. But despite a strong effort in the fourth quarter, the Stags could not overcome a three-goal deficit, resulting in a 3-1 setback to Wagner College. 

After collecting three shots through the first three quarters, the Stags offense began to create more opportunities in the fourth quarter. Fairfield spent nearly the entire final 15 minutes on the Wagner side of the pitch, working its way to seven shots while yielding none.. One of those shots put the Stags on the scoreboard which came off the team's first penalty corner of the game.  Frances Mirabile started the play with Carmel  Van Dijk ending up with the insertion. She sent the ball toward goal where Agustina Casteluchi was waiting and the junior quickly converted the pass into the Stags' first goal of the game.

Fairfield continued to push the ball forward with urgency, trying to create more scoring chances as the clock ticked down. The offense was able to do just that but the Wagner defense and the play of goalkeeper Puck Schenk turned away those opportunities. Schenk made three of her five saves in the final three minutes, two of which came off shots that were started with a penalty corner. The Wagner back line also was involved in the flow, blocking two shots before the ball reached the goalkeeper.

Wagner on the other hand was able to find the back of the cage three times off of its five shots in the game. The Seahawks were able to muster three shots in the first 15 minutes but found a way to hit the back of the net twice. The home team tallied the game's first goal in the 10th minute after Pilar Lorenzini set up Sophie Giltrap off a penalty corner, tipping the ball into the near corner for the 1-0 lead. Three minutes later, Lorenzini did it again with a pass off that sprung Natalie Rocuskie for a one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Rucoskie lifted the ball past the charging goalkeeper, doubling the Seahawks' advantage.

The Stags' defense did not yield a shot in the second quarter but Fairfield was only able to manage one shot during that 15-minute stretch, sending the two teams into halftime with the score remaining at 2-0. Wagner added its third goal quickly in the third quarter as Madison Hoskins pushed the ball into the goal following a penalty corner pass from Laura Van Hamburg just two minutes into the period.

Fairfield finished the match with 10 shots, doubling up Wagner's five attempts, and also held a 4-3 edge in penalty corners by the final whistle. Goalkeeper Payton Rahn posted a pair of saves in the game while Schenk tallied five stops.