Offensive Explosion Leads Blue Field Hockey to Season Opening Win

BANGOR, Maine – The Wellesley College field hockey team opened the 2013 campaign with a bang, topping host Husson University by a 9-1 score on Saturday afternoon. The game was the season opener for both teams.

Four different Wellesley players recorded multi-goal games for the Blue, while two goalkeepers combined to allow just one score, making 12 saves.

First-years Courtney Peterson and Nikki Sharkin made their collegiate debuts count, each scoring twice in the victory, while Peterson also added two assists. Sophomore Hannah Flesch and junior Lallie Lukens recorded two goals each in the win, while sophomore Anissa Sridhar also found the back of the cage.

Rounding out the offensive output for the Blue, junior Meghan Peterson added two assists, while Flesch, Lukens,  junior Nathalie Gruet, and first-year Mary Lemay each added helpers in the victory.

Defensively, senior Brit Mscisz and junior Becky Hamilton each played a half in goal. Mscisz recorded five first-half saves, not allowing a goal, while Hamilton stopped seven shots, allowing just one score.

Wellesley scored early and often in the game, as Flesch scored just six minutes into action to open the floodgates. Courtney Peterson added her first collegiate tally just seven minutes later, while Sharkin scored her first two career goals later in the half to make it 4-0. Sridhar closed out the first-half scoring in the 34th minute, making it 5-0 at the break.

In the second half, Courtney Peterson made it 5-0, followed by two goals from Lukens and a second score from Flesch to make it 9-0. Husson's Sabrina Vaillancourt accounted for the only Eagle goal, connecting in the 67th minute.

For the game, Wellesley held a slim 23-20 advantage in shots, while drawing 15 corners to Husson's 7.

Wellesley is back in action on Tuesday, traveling to New England College for a 7:00pm match. Husson returns to the field tomorrow, hosting the University of New England at 2:00pm.