For the second straight Wednesday, the Muhlenberg field hockey team gave a visiting nationally ranked opponent all it could handle.

A week after taking Bryn Mawr, then ranked 23rd in Division III, into overtime in a 2-1 loss, the Mules (4-8, 1-5) fell to 24th-ranked Swarthmore by the same score on a goal with 5:34 left in regulation.

The Garnet (9-3, 5-1) scored on their first shot, off a penalty corner, just 3:47 into the game. The defense kept the deficit at one, however, allowing Muhlenberg to tie the score midway through the third quarter when junior Devon Eastlack sent a long pass into the circle that was converted into a goal by sophomore Erin DiSandro.

The Mules won four penalty corners and took four shots in the fourth quarter, but it was Swarthmore that scored the lone goal.

The close loss ended a stretch of five straight games for Muhlenberg against teams that have been nationally ranked this season. The Mules lost all five, but three of the losses were by only one goal.

pictured above: senior Kaitlyn Hennelly