GWYNEDD VALLEY, Pa.– Eastern University Field Hockey dropped a tough 1-0 decision on the road to the Gwynedd Mercy Griffins.

The Eagles (1-4) spent much of the match on the edge of the Gwynedd Mercy circle and had an 8-to-2 edge in penalty corners, but the host Griffins found the only goal they needed early in the second half. The Griffin goal came with the Eagles playing without a key piece of their defense after Grace Wise drew a green card for a foul at the edge of the circle. The Eagles nearly made it through the player-down situation, but the Griffins earned the circle and converted.

The Eagles had their best chance of the game off a penalty corner early in the second quarter. Morgan Unruh played the insert and the Eagles beat the initial defender with a pass and had a shot past the Gwynedd-Mercy goalie. A lunging defender kept the ball out of the goal with her body and the referee awarded a penalty stroke. Emerson Shauger's stroke hit the post and went wide.

Morgan Ruhl had an attempt from in tight early in the second half, but Griffin goalie Morgan Lawless stood tall and kicked away the attempt for one of her four saves.

The Eagles had their final penalty corner of the match in the final seconds, but a sprawling effort by a Griffin defender redirected the shot from Wise away just before the final whistle.

The Eagles (1-4) start MAC Commonwealth play with a home game against the Alvernia University Golden Wolves on Saturday at 11.