LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Megan Clauser collected 12 saves as the Bellarmine University field hockey team held No. 16 Louisville to a one-goal advantage at halftime before falling 4-0 Tuesday at Trager Stadium.
The Knights (2-8) kept the Cardinals (9-4) scoreless through the opening quarter, but Louisville scored early in each of the final three periods to pull away.
Clauser turned aside both shots she faced in the first quarter as Bellarmine defended three Louisville penalty corners to keep the game scoreless through 15 minutes.
The Cardinals broke through just 29 seconds into the second quarter on a goal by Tatum Bohnert. Clauser responded with three saves over the next minute and 23 seconds, including consecutive stops against Chloe Plumb, to keep the Knights within striking distance. Neither team scored again before the break, sending Bellarmine into halftime trailing 1-0.
Louisville doubled its lead 2:08 into the third quarter when Annabel Sep scored off a penalty corner, with assists from Plumb and Jaelen Perez. Clauser added three more saves in the period as the Knights entered the fourth facing a 2-0 deficit.
Tyler Everslage tipped in a penalty-corner opportunity off an assist from Sep just 35 seconds into the final quarter. Maggie Kearin added the Cardinals' final goal with 4:28 remaining.
Wende de Witte registered Bellarmine's shot on goal in the closing minutes, forcing a save from Louisville goalkeeper Katie Hume.
Clauser played all 60 minutes in goal and finished with four saves in the fourth quarter. Louisville held a 22-1 advantage in shots and a 12-0 edge in penalty corners.
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