Lukens Records Five Points as Field Hockey Tops Smith

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. -- Wellesley College scored three goals in the first eight minutes of the second half to break open a close game en route to a 5-2 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference field hockey win over Smith College on Saturday afternoon.

The loss snaps a two game winning streak for Smith, who fall to 4-9 and 1-5 in NEWMAC play.  Wellesley evens up their record at 7-7, and 3-2 in the NEWMAC.

It was the Pioneers who got the ball rolling, and it was a trio of first-years that manufactured the first goal.  Off a penalty corner, Sara Mercier slid a pass to Jenny Estes in front of the cage, but instead of shooting, Jenny Estes tapped the ball to twin sister Kristen Estes, who scored her first career goal at the 4:54 mark.

Wellesley evened up the game 90 seconds later, when Emily Lewis netted her 11th goal of the season off a pass from Lallie Lukens, and Lukens put the Blue in front with an unassisted tally with at the 17:28 mark.

Smith tied the game with 6:32 left in the first half.  Allie Stein scored her 15th goal of the season, and eighth in four games, when she fired home a rocket from Sophie Demuynck's penalty corner.  The Blue had a chance to go in front just before the break when they were awarded a penalty stroke, but Lewis fired wide of Savannah Lawson's goal, leaving the scored tied 2-2 at halftime.

Wellesley put the game out of reach with three goals in a five minute span.  Nathalie Gruet gave the Blue a 3-2 lead when she scored an unassisted goal 70 seconds into the half, and Lukens doubled her tally for the game with a goal two minutes later.  Gruet completed the scoring with her second of the game at the 41:57 mark.

Smith struggled to find offense in the second half, not recording a shot on goal until there were two minutes left in the game.  Lawson made eight saves in net for Smith, while Brit Mscisz and Becky Hamilton split time in goal for Wellesley.  Mscisz was not called upon to make a save in nearly 42 minutes of action, while Hamilton made three saves in the final 28:03.

Smith will host No. 8 Amherst College on Thursday, October 20 at 4 p.m.  Wellesley will host MIT in a NEWMAC matchup on Tuesday, October 18 at 4 p.m.

Courtesy Smith Sports Information