IOWA CITY, Iowa – Unfazed by the unique circumstances leading up to the start of Saturday's neutral-site match in Iowa City, Iowa, UC Davis weathered a lengthy delay, due to lightning, and played outstanding hockey all afternoon long at Grant Field in the first of consecutive matches scheduled throughout the weekend against nationally-ranked Big Ten teams.
 
Tied a zero apiece against #18 Rutgers, the Aggies generated numerous scoring opportunities after halftime, and nearly registered the first goal of the game.
 
Late in the third quarter, junior midfielder Madison Theodore nearly punched one into the back of the cage, and was thwarted at the last possible moment on her initial shot, and a penalty stroke that followed shortly thereafter, to keep the score at 0-0 heading into the final quarter.
 
After the Scarlet Knights broke through in the 51st minute, junior midfielder Emily Chen almost tied the score one again with 98 seconds left to play. 

But that late Rutgers goal was the only one scored in the match, which allowed it to escape Iowa City with a 1-0 result in its favor.

UC Davis will return to Grant Field for Sunday morning's 10 a.m. PT matchup against host Iowa with a 5-4 record. Rutgers will now head home at 5-5.

"Today's match up was a great opportunity for us to compete and perform at a high level. And overall, I am very pleased with our ability to sustain more attack and control the tempo of the game," said head coach Britt Broady. "We've been locked in to attacking from outletting situations in practice and I thought that really showed today. Sara Janetzky was outstanding in her decision making and execution. Our ability to receive going forward in the midfield provided attacking opportunities. 

"Unfortunately, we had small lapses which allowed Rutgers to capitalize and ultimately win the game."

Broady added, "This game hurts. It's not our ability that let us down, it's our consistency to fulfill our roles for each and every play. That's our next step forward if we're going to win the big games."
 
Saturday's game marked the third nationally-ranked opponent UC Davis faced this season. Earlier in the year, the Aggies nearly upset No. 25 Michigan State, on its own turf, in double overtime. Three days later, it was No. 8 Louisville that barely survived in its match against the Aggies, and needed overtime to secure a positive result.
 
With its play against the 25th-ranked team in the nation, UC Davis is strengthened its reputation as one of the toughest mid-major programs, and a team that possesses the talent needed to compete, and defeat, the top squads in the country
 
Senior goalkeeper Chelsea Bigelow turned in another brilliant performance for the Aggies, and finished with seven saves.
 
Field hockey will end its weekend in Iowa City, Iowa, against No. 7 Iowa when these teams square off Sunday morning at 10 a.m. PT/12 p.m. CT.
 
Links for live stats and a video stream provided by Big Ten Network+, to online subscribers, is available at UCDavisAggies.com.
 

AGGIE EVO
Established during the 2017-18 academic year, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation.
 
Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis.
 
Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.
 
MARYA WELCH INITIATIVE
Named after the former physical education instructor, coach and Dean of Women who founded women's sports on the campus 25 years before the passage of Title IX, the Marya Welch Initiative for Women's Athletics provides comprehensive support for UC Davis' 16 athletics programs.

Through the support of the Marya Welch Initiative and its group members, student-athletes are provided the best possible opportunity to succeed inside the classroom, and in competition, through special project gifts and by increasing visibility and participation at women's events throughout the year.

All gifts to the Marya Welch Initiative are matched 1:1, doubling the impact on our women's programs.

To learn more about projects the Marya Welch Initiative is currently funding, like the Marya Welch Initiative on Facebook. Join this groundbreaking program by clicking here, contacting Assistant AD for Leadership Giving and Alumni Engagement Liz Martin at (530) 752-7326 or emartin@ucdavis.edu.
 
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley.
 
The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation, according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.