BRUNSWICK, Maine – After delivering the most successful season in program history, the FDU-Florham field hockey team's dream run came to an end on Saturday as the Devils were defeated 5-1 by ninth-ranked Skidmore College in the second round of the NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship.
 
The Devils (15-8) battled throughout the contest but were unable to find success against the outstanding Thoroughbreds' (18-3) defense. The loss resulted in the conclusion of an outstanding run for FDU-Florham as the team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. 
 
The two teams fought back and forth throughout the opening half, with freshman back Lauren Brannan (Orefield, Pa.) coming up with a big defensive save for the Devils in the 17^th minute. Skidmore broke through the Devils defense at the 31:13 mark, to move in front 1-0. Thoroughbreds leading scorer Dani DeGregory utilized her speed down the left side to dodge an oncoming defender and take an unchallenged look at FDU-Florham goalkeeper Amy Defnet (Poolesville, Md.), pushing the ball to the opposite corner for the 1-0 lead. Skidmore carried that one-goal edge into the break. 
 
DeGregory and the Skidmore offense came out firing in the second half, scoring three goals in the first fifteen minutes.  The Skidmore junior slipped her second goal of the game inside of the right post before capping off her hat trick with another solo shot from just inside the stroke line in the 49^th minute.
 
Two minutes later the Thoroughbreds increased their cushion to  4-0 as DeGregory came down the middle and drew a Devil defender, only to dish a pass to Sam Skott. Skott was there to receive the feed and fire off a shot towards the opposite corner. The duo teamed up for another goal nine minutes later, as DeGregory beat two defenders and charged the end line. Skott was waiting on the left post for low pass and banged in another Skidmore goal. 
 
The Devils avoided the shutout by earning a penalty corner in the final two minutes and finding the back of the cage. On their fifth corner of the contest, sophomore defender Erin O'Connell (Linwood, N.J.) rifled a hard drive toward the left post where a quick stick from Gabriella D'Amico (Mullica Hill, N.J.) redirected the ball into the net for FDU-Florham's lone goal.
 
Under duress for much of the contest, Defnet made 12 saves, while Skidmore goalie Amy Beck made one save to earn the victory. Skidmore held a slight 5-4 edge in penalty corners, but a commanding 29-2 shot advantage.