Field Hockey Clinches GNAC Playoff Spot Defeating Rivier, 2-1 On Senior Day

PAXTON, MA - Thanks to two goals from Anne Melanson (Grafton, MA) and Abigayle Celata (Baldwinville, MA), the Anna Maria College field hockey team (8-8, 4-4 GNAC) topped Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) rival, Rivier University Raiders (6-10, 3-5 GNAC), 2-1 on senior day at Caparso Field Wednesday afternoon. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The AMCATS wasted no time and got on the board first at 9:11 of the first quarter. Anna Maria drew a penalty corner and after a few passes, Lauren Lapierre (Worcester, MA) put a shot on net but was turned away from Raiders goalie, Katie Olson (Saugus, MA). However, Melanson found the loose ball and tapped it in past Olson's left side for the 1-0 lead.
• Rivier almost evened the contest at 12:02 when Hunter Langley (Londonderry, NH) blasted a shot on net. But, Ashleigh Curll (Worcester, MA) made a big defensive save and helped maintain the one-goal advantage. 
• Although, at 22:25 in the second, the Raiders evened the contest at one thanks to a swat out of mid-air from Maegan Sheehy (Sabattus, ME) after Felicity Defosses (Franklin, NH) sent her pass into the middle of the Anna Maria net. 
• Thanks to Celata's ball awareness, the Raiders lead was shortlived. Chayna Bingham-Hendricks (Mashpee, MA) put a shot on net, but Olson made the save. Celata saw the ball roll away from Olson and poked in the go-ahead goal at 26:28 of the second quarter.
• With five minutes left in the fourth, Rivier had one more chance to send the contest to overtime, but the 'Cats defense forced an errant shot from Nicole Mansfield (Acton, MA) that went just above the net. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Hannah Tobey (Falmouth, MA) made two saves on the afternoon and improved her record to 7-3. Meanwhile, Olson had five saves for the visitors.
• Melanson's goal moved her into a tie for 10th all-time in career points (Jen Hurley-47).
• Anna Maria outshot Rivier, 12-7.
• The squad also held the advantage in penalty corners, 18-9.
• Bingham-Hendricks led all AMCATS in shots with five. Melanson (two), and Celata, Lapierre, Calli McLaughlin (Rutland, MA), Allyson Shaw (Holden, MA), and Meghan Sonia (West Tisbury, MA) each had one-shot respectively. 
• The AMCATS have made the GNAC playoffs in all six seasons since joining the conference.

WHAT'S NEXT

For the first time since 2015 (October 31 versus Mt. Ida), Anna Maria will host a GNAC playoff game against number five seed, Regis Pride. The contest will be on Saturday, November 2 at 11 AM. Rivier sees their season come to an end finishing the year 6-10 and 3-5 in GNAC play.

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