Anna Maria Tops New England College, 3-2

HENNIKER, NH - Courtesy of a late goal from freshman, Calli McLaughlin (Rutland, MA), the Anna Maria field hockey team (5-6) defeated the New England College Pilgrims (4-4), 3-2 in non-conference action Tuesday evening at Don Melander Field.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Anna Maria got on the board right away at 4:17 when the AMCATS drew a penalty corner. Abigayle Celata (Baldwinville, MA) sent her pass to Chayna Bingham-Hendricks (Mashpee, MA) who collected the ball and blasted a shot from the top of the scoring zone for the 1-0 lead.
• The AMCATS would tack on one more goal before the end of the first quarter off the stick of Lauren Lapierre (Worcester, MA). The 'Cats drew another penalty corner and Celata passed into Bingham-Hendricks at the top of the zone. She sent her pass into a scramble of Pilgram and AMCATS student-athletes in front of the net. However, the ball found Lapierre near the goal and she pushed her shot past a sliding Stephanie Millios (Manchester, NH) for the buzzer-beater. 
• New England College cut into the deficit later in the second when the Pilgrims capitalized on a penalty corner with 5:41 left in the second. Zoe Pedler (Perth, Australia) passed up to the top of the scoring zone but then received the pass back to her and put a shot on net but was turned away from the Anna Maria defense. Kasey Arnold (Weare, NH) found the deflection and slipped it past Hannah Tobey (Falmouth, MA) to make the score 2-1 headed into halftime.
• The 'Cats kept the Pilgrims in check during the third but in the fourth quarter at 11:33, New England College found the equalizer. Brittaney Tierney (Ottawa, ON) weaved her way through the defense and put a shot on net but was kicked away by Tobey. But, Leah Foster (Greenwich, NY) saw the deflection and found the back of the cage and tied the contest at two.
• As time wound down, the squad put in the eventual game-winner at 4:56 from McLaughlin. Anna Maria drew another penalty corner where Celata sent the pass into Bingham-Hendricks who brought the ball a step into the scoring circle. Once there, she swung a pass near Ellie Philben (Havre de Grace, MD) and Pilgrim defenders but the ball bounced up to McLaughlin's stick where she deflected the ball up into the net for the 3-2 lead. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Tobey improved her record to 4-1 on the year while making six saves on the evening.
• Millios collected two saves while she split time with Philben who had one save.
• Bingham-Hendricks finished today with a season-high four points (one goal, two assists).
• Anne Melanson (Grafton, MA) and Bingham-Hendricks led Anna Maria with two shots. Celata, Lapierre, McLaughlin, and Allyson Shaw (Holden, MA) rounded out the shots with one.

WHAT'S NEXT

Anna Maria returns home on Friday, October 4 at 4 PM hosting Great Northeast Athletic Conference foe, Regis. New England College hits the road on Saturday, October 5 at 1 PM against Husson. 

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