During last week's field hockey game at Catasauqua, Northwestern had two prime opportunities on goal as the final seconds in regulation ticked off.

The Lady Tigers were still down by five goals before those shots came, but that has pretty much been the story for Northwestern all season. It's tough to punch in those scores when the opportunities present themselves.

Last Thursday's Colonial League divisional matchup against the Rough Riders was no different. The Lady Tigers (4-12-1 overall; 3-11 in Colonial League) were held to just three shots on goal in their 6-1 loss to Catasaqua (9-7 overall; 8-6 in Colonial League).

Heading into that game against the Rough Riders, the Lady Tigers tallied just one goal in their previous five games, all losses.

"We're having a hard time finishing," head coach Lissa Opolsky said. "We're getting up there, and when we're getting opportunities to do that, we just lack the grit sometimes to bare down and get one it. It's not necessarily for a lack of trying."

The Lady Tigers showed they have the ability to produce offensively. Northwestern got on the scoreboard in the midst of second-half play on Courtney Page's goal, but it was a little too late, as Catasauqua had already built a quick 4-0 lead.

Following Page's goal, Quinn Bachman and Olivia Schlofer recorded goals for Catasauqua that halted Northwestern's brief swing of momentum.

While the Tigers may have dropped their 10th game of the season, Opolsky and the Tigers are more focused on improving their skills each contest in preparing the best team for the future.

"We have some goals that we're working on and some skills that we haven't been so good at lately," Opolsky said. "We're more focused on those types of things than the score at this point. We know we're out of playoffs, but at the same time we have a young team. We have to focus on some of the fundamentals that sometimes you take for granted."

Catasauqua's Shiloh Sziy, who scored three goals on the day, broke a scoreless game just 2:43 into the first half. Following a shot by Quinn Bachman, Sziy redirected the ball past Northwestern goalie Laura Kotula for a quick 1-0 lead. Gabrielle Bachman scored later in the first half to make it 2-0.

Sziy and the Rough Riders opened up the second half much similar to their first 30 minutes of play. It didn't take long for Sziy to punch in her second goal after Kotula saved Quinn Bachman's initial shot. Just minutes later, Sziy put the Rough Riders ahead 4-0 on a corner goal.

Losses to Southern Lehigh (3-1 last Friday) and Palmerton (3-0 on Monday) give the Lady Tigers their eighth straight loss. Despite the late-season blunders, Opolsky is looking for continued improvement from her squad.

"We want to become more determined and more intense as a team," Opolsky said. "With so many young players, they don't really know what it's like to step out on the field, and have to win a game just based on determination.

"The games that we've had have been good lessons and experiences. We're going to look forward to taking everyone but three people, and bringing them back next year to see what we look like."

The Lady Tigers travel Northern Lehigh on Thursday for their season finale. Game time is 6:45 p.m.