SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Springfield College field hockey
team held off a late second-half rally as it topped visiting
Wellesley College, 4-2, in New England Women's and Men's Athletic
Conference (NEWMAC) action on Saturday afternoon. Freshman Kelly
Gallo scored a goal and added an assist in the victory.
With the win, Springfield improves to 4-5 and evens its
conference record to 1-1. The Blue drop to 3-6, 1-2. The
Pride's offense came alive as it netted four goals in the game, the
same total of goals it had scored in the previous four games
combined.
Springfield jumped on the board first at the 9:10 mark as it
took advantage of its second penalty corner of the game. On
the set piece, Meg Bradley let loose a shot from the top of the
circle, which Kayla Sokol redirected into the back of the cage from
her position on the left post.
The hosts took a 2-0 lead into halftime as Gallo scored her team
leading sixth goal of the season with 40 seconds remaining in the
half. Gallo cleaned up a scramble in front of the cage as she
slipped in the Pride's second marker of the frame.
Megan McHugh scored what would prove to be the game-winning goal
just under three minutes into the second half. McHugh fired a
shot from seven yards out that snuck just inside the left post for
her first goal of the season.
However, the Blue would not go away lightly as it netted a pair
of goals 48 seconds apart to make it a one-goal game.
Sally Scudder started the scoring off
with a goal at the 48:24 mark, only to have teammate Sarah Mohtes-Chan punch home a goal at 49:12, forcing a
Springfield timeout.
Springfield capped off its first conference victory of the
season as it scored with no time on the clock after being awarded a
penalty corner. Liz Hurley took a Gallo feed and fired in a strike
as Springfield picked up the 4-2 win.
Alison McCarthy earned the win for the Pride
as she made 10 saves in goal. Her counterpart, Sarina
Sawyer, also made 10 saves despite allowing four
goals.
Springfield next travels to Smith on Tuesday at 4:30pm.
Wellesley also plays a NEWMAC contest on Tuesday, as the Blue host
Wheaton at 4:30pm.
