BERKELEY – California field hockey (1-5) was unable to close out home nonconference action with a win at Underhill Field, falling to Drexel (3-3) 2-1 Wednesday afternoon.
 
Sophomore Janaye Sakkas scored her third goal of the season, matching classmate Melina Moore's team-best three goals. Sakkas was one of six Bears to add to Cal's nine-shot total on the day.
 
Moore started the Bears off with a pair of shots in the first seven minutes of the game, both of which went wide, but Cal failed to maintain a consistent attack at the Drexel cage throughout the game.
 
It was the Dragons who scored first when Lindsay Boerner sent a ball to leading scorer Megan Wiest for the lead.
 
Sakkas tied it up just before halftime on a penalty corner. Moore inserted the ball, giving it to junior Mara Gutierrez, who crossed toward Sakkas for the tip-in.
 
A late goal with nearly 10 minutes remaining from Idrienne Walker was enough to seal the 2-1 victory for Drexel.
 
"Both goals were the result of mental disengagement, and at this level you're going to get punished," said head coach Shellie Onstead. "We're disappointed but we'll definitely get better because of this."
 
Onstead pulled starting goalkeeper Kori Griswold with 3:07 remaining in the game to give her squad an extra attacker, but Cal could not net the equalizer. Griswold finished the day with two saves.
 
Despite the slip-ups on defense, Cal's inexperienced backfield saw improvement in a number of key areas, including limiting opponent penalty corners.
 
"We had some specific, processed goals and I would say we hit five out six of them," Onstead said. "The defense held the other team to four corners in a game and they read the corners well. We had sustained attack inside the 25, got a lot of conversion in the 25, we linked passes through the midfield well."
 
The Bears are 0-4 in their new home at Underhill, but have three home games remaining this season – all to America East conference West Division opponents.
 
HEAD COACH SHELLIE ONSTEAD'S TAKE
On overall performance:
We actually managed the middle of the game very well. We need to get better at the very beginning and the end. We're allowing late goals. We were under pressure early and then we got our feet under us, then we had some real sustained pressure. One quick outlet by them was just a mistake by us and they walked in and scored.
 
Both goals were the result of mental disengagement, and at this level you're going to get punished. We're disappointed but we'll definitely get better because of this.
 
We didn't really start with fire, and I was a little concerned about it. We had a pre-game meeting in the morning and then they went off to class before coming back, and right now we've got to learn how to have a home game and play with all those potential distractions included.
 
On what team improved:
We had some specific, processed goals and I would say we hit five out six of them. Typically, you'd think that would be enough to get the outcome. For instance, the defense held the other team to four corners in a game and they read the corners well. We had sustained attack inside the 25, got a lot of conversion in the 25, we linked passes through the midfield well. Those are all really great goals that we met, but a couple of breakdowns and that's the level that we play at.
 
GOLDEN BEAR GOALS
34:55 – Janaye Sakkas (assisted by Mara Gutierrez)
Sakkas says: It was on a corner, and Mara got the ball and crossed it. I tipped it right through the goalie's legs.
 
DREXEL'S GOALS
22:12 – Megan Wiest (assisted by Lindsay Boerner)
 
59:28 – Idrienne Walker (unassisted)
 
NEXT UP
The Bears are set for more than a week off before their next game, when they head to North Carolina to face Appalachian State on Friday, Sept. 23 at 2 p.m. PT. Cal will also meet Wake Forest on Sunday, Sept. 25 at 9 a.m. PT to wrap up its road trip.