HARTFORD, Conn. - The Catholic University field hockey team fell in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on Wednesday night, bringing a tremendous season to a close. The Cardinals allowed an early goal in a 1-0 loss to Trinity. 

Freshman goalkeeper Abigail Kearney ended her rookie campaign in stellar fashion, making nine saves and stopping a penalty stroke in Wednesday night's defeat. Nine saves is a new career high for Kearney as she tops her previous high of eight saves. She finishes her freshman season with 68 saves. 

Just 3:27 into the contest, Trinity was awarded a penalty stroke, setting up a showdown between Kearney and Elle Fair. Fair won the first battle, scoring for the Bantams as they took a 1-0 lead over the Cards. 

Trinity kept the pressure up throughout the initial period, tallying 12 total shots and five shots on target. Kearney made four saves in the first period. 

Catholic evened the run of play in the second quarter and got its best chance at a goal, but Niki Micciche's shot on goal was saved with just over 90 seconds remaining in the first half. 

The Cardinals settled into the game after a hectic first period, holding the Bantams to just three third-quarter shots and getting another save from Kearney in those 15 minutes. 

The Bantams put some pressure back on the Catholic defense in the fourth with Kearney adding four more saves to her total before the buzzer sounded on a 1-0 win for Trinity in the first-ever meeting between the programs. Kearney stopped the Bantams' second penalty stroke attempt of the contest with just over seven minutes remaining to keep the Catholic dream alive. 

Catholic finishes the 2022 season with an 11-8 record in Rachel Palumbo's second season at the helm, reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015.