COLCHESTER, Vt.--The American International College Field Hockey team battled back from a 2-0 deficit, but ultimately fell to the Saint Michael's College Purple Knights, who earned a 3-2 victory in the non-conference contest.

AIC falls to 1-2 on the year.

Down 2-0 just 15:44 in the game, the Yellow Jackets picked up the pace of play, and it paid off late in the half as sophomore midfielder Liv Magni (Sweet Valley, Pa.) hit a long pass to the front that was deflected by junior forward Taylor Ruscillo (Carle Place, N.Y.) and ultimately swatted into the net by rookie forward Amanda Dube (Mechanic Falls, Maine) for her second of the campaign at 31:27.

Though the home squad drew the first four penalty corners of the second frame, it was AIC that struck for the game-tying goal, with Ruscillo earning her second helper of the contest when she set up senior midfielder Erica McLean (Branford, Conn.) on a long pass that the captain was able to pop into the left side of the cage for her first of the season at 52:33.

However, it would be the Purple Knights with the final, winning tally of the game, with a broken play leading to senior forward Megan Deschaine (Claremont, N.H.) popping a rebound in for her second of the year at 59:31.

Senior Ainslee Penfield (Greenfield, Mass.) was stellar in goal in the defeat, falling to 1-2 despite 11 stops; her counterpart, junior Abigail Bowie (Readfield, Maine) made 4 stops in the victory to move to 3-1.

AIC returns to action when they visit Merrimack for a non-league tilt on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.