FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- Before most fans were able to settle in their seats for today's field hockey game with Yale, the game's only goal had already been recorded. The Bulldogs scored just 22 seconds into the game and made that goal stand as the visitors handed a 1-0 setback to the Fairfield University field hockey team on Friday afternoon. The match up was the third game in a three-game home stand for the Stags.

The scoring chance looked innocent enough at the beginning as Yale was able to control the ball to the right of the circle to change possession. The ball was sent to the top of the circle, just outside the arc where Nicole Gotthardt picked up the ball. She sent the ball on goal which goalkeeper Payton Rahn kicked away. However, the ball landed on the stick of Lily Ramsey, who one-timed a shot past the goalkeeper with 14:38 remaining in the first quarter.

Despite trailing by a goal, the Stags offense methodically built offensive opportunities throughout the game, outshooting the opposition in the second and fourth quarters and having as many as Yale in the second quarter. Fairfield ended the game with an advantage in shots by a 10-7 margin but was only able to put one shot on goal.

That chance came in the second quarter when Beatrice Loevenich found some free space in the circle and pushed a shot toward goal. Yale goalkeeper Alexa Pitts was able to get her pad on the attempt before the Yale back line cleared the ball from danger.

The Stags pressure continually kept hopes alive throughout the second half as they were able to earn five penalty corners including four in the fourth quarter. All those corners ended up with shots but Yale's defense blocked or deflected all those attempts. For the match, Fairfield finished up with 11 penalty corners while only surrendering two – one in the first quarter and the other in the third quarter.

Yale's offense came out aggressively in the first quarter which helped the team account for four of its seven shots on the day. The Stags defense yielded just three more the rest of the game and did not surrender any opportunities in the fourth quarter. Fairfield goalkeeper Payton Rahn made four saves in the game, all coming in the first half. Three of her four saves occurred in the first quarter.

The Stags will return to the pitch on Sunday, playing its first road game since the season opener on August 28 against Bryant University. The game is scheduled for 1 pm at Lehigh University. Following that match, Fairfield will play four of its next five dates at home with the lone road game being the Northeast Conference (NEC) opener against Rider University on September 27.