SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The American International College field hockey team poured it on in the second half but could not come all the way back from a 4-0 deficit as it dropped a 4-2 Northeast-10 contest to visiting Southern Connecticut State University Thursday afternoon at Ronald J. Abdow Field.

The Owls evened their overall record at 8-8 for the season and improved to 5-4 in the NE-10, while the Yellow Jackets fell to 3-14 overall and 2-7 in conference play.

Each of SCSU's three first half goals were scored off a rebound. Senior midfielder Laurie Cockerline (Lopatcong, N.J.) got the Owls on the board at 8:32 and fellow senior midfielder Erica Fisher (Putnam Valley, N.Y.) made it a 2-0 game just 1:28 later. Freshman forward Jennifer O'Neil (Saylorsburg, Pa.) scored what proved to be the difference maker in the 28th-minute and fellow freshman forward Bailey McGinnis (North Branford, Conn.) made it a 4-0 advantage for Southern Connecticut in the 60th-minute.

AIC finally got on the board at 62:43 when freshman back Kaylin Harbin (Stroudsburg, Pa.) one-timed a feed from senior forward Mackenzie Kewley (Rutland, Mass.) into the cage from just outside the left post and Kewley followed with a tip-in off a centering pass from senior midfielder Lisa Duckles (Netcong, N.J.) with 1:05 left in the game for the 4-2 final.

The Yellow Jackets had a number of quality scoring chances throughout the game, and in the final ten minutes in particular, but could only manage the two goals in the game.

Freshman goalkeeper Audrey Dolloff (Raynham, Mass.) tallied 11 stops to earn the win in goal for the Owls, while junior goalkeeper Kori Huffman (Brattleboro, Mass.) had nine saves in taking the loss for AIC.

SCSU outshot the Yellow Jackets 21-20 in the match, while AIC had a 10-7 advantage in penalty corners.

The Yellow Jackets will close out the 2012 season when they host No. 5 UMass Lowell Saturday at 5 p.m. at Ronald J. Abdow Field.