FRANKLIN, MASS.- The Dean College Bulldogs field hockey team fell to the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) Blue Jays on Tuesday, 3-1 in Great Northeast Athetic Conference (GNAC) action on Grant Field. The loss snaps a two-game Bulldog win streak and drops Dean to 4-5 (2-2 GNAC) on the season, while USJ improves to 5-4 (2-2 GNAC). 

After a nearly scoreless first quarter, the Blue Jays struck first, with Kaitlin Trudeau scoring off a penalty corner with 40 seconds remaining in the first period. A scoreless second period followed and the Bulldogs entered the break trailing 1-0. USJ outshot Dean 7-3 in the first half, including 3-0 in the second quarter, but effective defense, led by GNAC defender of the week Shea Cassani (Belgrade, Maine), kept all but two shots off target. 

Midway through the third period, Saint Joseph opened up their lead to two on a long pass from Aurelia Barker that was collected by Grace Kociszewski on the left wing and deposited in the back of the goal. The goal was Kociszewski's team leading ninth. 

Dean's team leader in goals, first-year Emily Yazzetti (Mahopac, N.Y.) had a response of her own, however, as the Bulldogs rallied moments later to cut the lead in half when Yazzetti corralled a feed from fellow first-year Emma Gragen (Brattleboro, Vt.) and beat the keeper to the short side for her 10th goal and 22nd point of the season. Gragen's assist, her second of the year, registered her sixth point, good for second on the team.

USJ extended their lead back to two early in the fourth on another goal from Kociszewski, her tenth of the season. This tally came unassisted and accounted for the final goal of the game.

USJ led 16-9 in shots and 5-2 in penalty corners. First-year Sara Gardner (Hampstead, Md.) finished with five saves for Dean in her first loss of the season. 

Next, the Bulldogs will hit the road for a non-conference contest at Gordon College on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. in Wenham, Mass.