DELAND, Fla. – After a three-hour rain delay, the Hatters fell short to the Air Force Falcons in a tightly contested 3-2 loss at the ATC on Sunday afternoon.

The Hatters pressured early to start the game and then the Falcons went on the offensive. Despite some strong defensive play for Stetson, including clearing several corners, Air Force would break through with the first goal of the game in the 35^th minute.

Stetson would get their first scoring chance from a free kick opportunity as Annika Seem would put the kick on the lower left side of the goal, which was saved by the Falcons. Shortly after Seem would get another opportunity off a Stetson corner kick as she fired the ball into the upper left for the Hatters first goal of the game and of the season in the 42^nd minute.

The Falcons would score shortly after in the 43^rd minute, making the score at half 2-1 in favor of the Falcons. Stetson's Mallory Osborn would have 6 saves on the half for the Hatters.

Air Force would net their third goal of the match shortly after, however, as the Falcons jumped out to a two-goal lead.

Following a scary collision in the 54^th minute, the Hatters were awarded a penalty kick. Seem netted her second goal of the afternoon to cut the deficit down to just one. The penalty kick goal was Stetson's first since 2019.

After the electrifying penalty kick goal by Seem, the team experience a noticeable surge of energy and renewed determination. Feeding off the momentum, the Hatters displayed an elevated level of play and relentless drive to turn the tide in their favor.

In the 34^th minute, Zoie Weinberger showcased her speed and agility as she sprinted down the field for a breakaway opportunity. Her shot, while executed with precision, narrowly missed the mark.

As the clock ticked down, with 14 minutes and 23 seconds remaining, Air Force launched a shot in an attempt to add to their lead. However, freshman goalkeeper Mallory Osborn, rose to the occasion with an impressive diving save, just enough to get a hand on it and ricochet the ball away from the net.

Seem emerged as a standout force for the Hatters, taking the lead in shot attempts with a total of 4, an impressive feat that saw three of these shots finding their mark on the goal. Seem netted both of the goals for Stetson as she delivered under pressure.

Contributing to the offensive efforts, a dynamic lineup of players added to the shot count. Weinberger, Jillian Therrien, Anna Brethauer, Alexis Smith, Alexa LoBasso and Lea Alexander all registered a shot during the game. Of this group, the former five displayed their precision by not only attempting a shot but also directing them on goal.

Osborn dazzled in the net, totaling 11 saves, including a pair of back-to-back sprawling saves nearly 25 minutes into the game

"Happy to see a couple goals hit the back of the net by Seem," said Stetson head coach Chris Bergmann "We have a few things to work on, we'll watch the tape and be ready to go on Thursday."

Up next for the Hatters is a matchup with Charleston Southern on Thursday at 5:00PM, which will be the first of a Double Hatter with the men's team who will play the College of Charleston at approximately 7:30PM.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS.

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