UA opened the state-qualifying tournament with a 5-0 win over Toledo Maumee Valley Country Day on Oct. 22 before losing to Bexley 1-0 on Oct. 28 to finish 13-3-3 overall.

"It was really disappointing because we wanted to go far," forward Susan Dappen said.

The Bears had played Bexley to a scoreless tie Oct. 14. In the rematch, the Lions got a second-half goal by midfielder Torrey Williams and two saves by goalie Diane Zanner. Bears goalie Sydney Stype also had two saves.

"One flub by us," Dappen said when asked about Williams' goal.

"We let up once and they executed. We had the ball most of the game, we controlled most of the play. But when we were in the circle, we couldn't find the cage."

"No one knew what happened (when Williams scored)," midfielder Kelsey Kessler said. "It happened quickly. ... I felt like we played really well. We just couldn't score."

Despite its early exit from the tournament, UA produced its most successful season since 2005, when it finished 16-3 and reached a district final.

The Bears went 8-2-1 in the 16-team Central Ohio Field Hockey League to place fourth, behind Thomas Worthington (10-1), Columbus Academy (9-1-1) and Watterson (9-2) and ahead of Bexley (7-2-2), Worthington Kilbourne (7-3-1), Dublin Jerome (6-5), Olentangy Liberty (5-6), Hartley (4-5-2), Granville (4-6-1), Olentangy (4-6-1), Dublin Scioto (3-6-2), Dublin Coffman (3-7-1), Columbus School for Girls (3-8), Olentangy Orange (1-10) and Lancaster (0-11).

In addition to the tournament contest against Bexley, UA lost to Thomas 2-0 on Sept. 16 and lost to Watterson 3-1 on Sept. 30. Last Saturday, Watterson beat Bexley 3-0 in one district final and Thomas lost to Academy 2-1 in triple overtime in the other.

"We had a lot more success, even though in the tournament we may not have shown it," Kessler said.

Last season, UA had finished 10-5-2 overall and placed fifth in the league.

"I think we made a big statement for UA field hockey this year," Dappen said. "UA typically is not as good."

Among the highlights was a 2-0 win over Academy on Sept. 21, as UA had gone 0-14-1 in its previous 15 matchups with the Vikings. Kessler and midfielder Erin Williams each scored and Stype had seven saves.

"We beat Academy, which was huge for us," Kessler said. "Academy is still in the tournament, which says a lot about that win."

UA loses 10 seniors in Dappen, Kessler, Williams, Ashley Colby (forward), Danielle Endicott (midfielder), Liz Mead (forward), Alice O'Neill (defender), Emily Poole (forward), Kelsey Shalvoy (forward) and Caroline Wulf (defender).

Dappen led the team with 22 goals.

Expected to return are juniors Emily Fitz (forward), Emma Frair (defender), Kristy Helscel (midfielder), Emily Messick (forward), Caroline Stechison (forward) and Stype and sophomores Madison Collins (defender), Nicole DeLany (defender) and Molly Schindler (midfielder).

Fitz and Messick scored nine and seven goals, respectively.

"There are a lot of really good juniors and sophomores on the team that will step up next year," Kessler said.