The field hockey team had another rough weekend, coming away with two losses on a road trip to Virginia and extending its losing streak to four games.

Facing solid programs in No. 15 William and Mary and Virginia Commonwealth University, the Bulldogs (1-4, 0-1 Ivy), lost to William and Mary 4-0 Friday and 4-2 to VCU yesterday.

In yesterday’s contest, the Bulldogs came up just short against the Rams in a 4-2 heartbreaker. Grace Morris ’06 and Heather Orrico ’07 came through with the Bulldogs’ only two goals. Oricco’s goal came on a penalty corner.

Yale outshot the Rams 22-12. The Bulldogs also outdid the Rams in penalty corners — they were awarded 11 compared to VCU’s 9. In the game’s first 57 minutes, the Bulldogs stayed strong. But in an eight-minute span, everything fell apart as VCU scored four times.

Yale head coach Pam Stuper likened this lapse to the five-minute period in the squad’s game against Princeton Sept. 10 during which the Tigers scored three goals.

Despite the loss, Stuper remained optimistic.

“This is the best 70 minutes of hockey we played since the Sacred Heart game,” she said.

In Friday night’s game, goalkeeper Elizabeth Friedlander ’07 came up with impressive statistics, making 17 saves. But the Bulldogs were outshot 29-1 by William and Mary and lost the game 4-0.

Stuper said the loss was not for a lack of effort.

“We started a new system of play this week and this was the first game we did it,” Stuper said. “We didn’t lose to someone we should have beaten.”

For William and Mary, one of the top teams in the nation, the win was its third straight, improving the Tribe to 4-1.

William and Mary’s first goal of the game came 21:40 into the match on an unassisted score by forward Maggie Long. For Long, this was her first career goal. For the Bulldogs, it was the beginning of the end, even though the win seemed within reach at halftime.

The Tribe’s next score came 56:02 into the game on a penalty corner shot by midfielder Jessica Kacerek. Her next goal, also a penalty corner, was preceded by one from Becky Van Zee. With just over 10 minutes left in the game, Kacerek scored again.

Yale’s offensive drought gave William and Mary goalkeeper Gwen Hunter her second shutout of the season. Hunter only had to make one save to earn these honors.

Yale’s one shot attempt was made in the first half, and the Bulldog offense remained quiet through the second half. Despite a paltry offensive output on the part of the Elis, the Tribe defense is used to holding back a competitor’s offense.

In fact, the game was the second time this season that a William and Mary opponent attempted two or fewer shots.

The Bulldogs refuse to lose their focus despite their four-game losing streak.

“We have a few things we’re going to work on,” Ali Rotondo ’09 said. “There were some very good things we did this weekend.”

Team captain Marly Gillece ’06 agreed.

“The team had moments of brilliance,” she said. “And we hope to convert that to wins next weekend.”