Field Hockey Soars to 4-1 Victory over Becker
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Becker (0-5) | 0 | 1 | 1 |
|
Anna Maria (2-2) | 3 | 1 | 4 |
PAXTON, Mass.—The Anna Maria College field hockey team needed just nine minutes to get on the scoreboard and did not look back from there, netting three first-half goals en route to a 4-1 victory over the Hawks of Becker College on Thursday afternoon.
With the win, the AMCATS improve to 1-2 on the season, while the loss drops Becker to 0-4.
HOW IT HAPPPENED
The AMCATS came out on fire as they dominated possession for most of the first half. The strong Anna Maria defense held the Hawks to just three shots in the half, two of which came in the final four minutes.
The second half saw things even considerably, as both teams tallied seven shots each. The AMCATS took a 4-0 lead before Becker broke up the shutout with a goal in the 50th minute.
The AMCATS held a 16-10 advantage in shots over the full 70 minutes while Becker led in penalty corners, 4-2.
SCORING
Freshman Anne Melanson (Grafton, Mass.) netted her first collegiate goal at the 8:45 on a breakaway. Fellow classmate Lauren Lapierre (Worcester, Mass.) assisted on the goal.
Less than four minutes later, junior Nicole Denver (Springfield, Mass.) netted her own breakaway goal. She would then make it 3-0 in the 26th minute as Kaitlyn Moran (Leicester, Mass.) found Denver on the left post for a one-touch past Becker goaltender Elysabeth Jefferies (Lisbon Falls, Maine).
Moran scored a goal of her own five minutes as she carried the ball down the right side of the field on her own for nearly 40 yards before she was met by a defender right before shooting.
Just over nine minutes later, Becker's Amy Grenier (Westminster, Mass.) connected on a pass from Jocelyn Lebel (Grafton, Mass.).
GOALKEEPERS
Jefferies stopped six of the 10 shots she faced in net for Becker. The AMCATS' victory went to Bryanna Tobin (Deep River, Conn.) who played just under 27 minutes and was not forced to make a save. She was relieved by Rhiannon Fletcher (Royalston, Mass.) who tallied three saves in the final 43:08.
THE SERIES
The AMCATS improve to 8-4 against Becker since 2004 and seal their fifth-straight win with today's victory. Becker's last victory was a 2-1 win in Leicester in 2011.
WHAT'S NEXT
The AMCATS have a quick turnaround as they open Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. against St. Joseph's College at AMCAT Field.
