Blue Field Hockey Caps Regular Season With 5-1 Win Over UMass Dartmouth

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Wellesley College field hockey scored five unanswered goals to defeat visiting UMass Dartmouth 5-1 in non-conference action on a rain soaked Thursday afternoon at Wellesley's Turf Field.

The Blue finish the regular season with a 10-7 overall record, while UMass Dartmouth ends their campaign with an overall mark of 7-12.

Seniors Courtney Peterson (Glastonbury, Conn.) and Nikki Sharkin (Summit, N.J.) each scored twice for Wellesley, while sophomore Cecie Negron (Midlothian, Va.) added a goal and an assist. Negron scored the game-winning goal on a penalty stroke, hacking the ball into the cage to give the Blue a 2-1 lead at 25:52 of the first half.

UMass Dartmouth senior Katelin Morrissey (Taunton, Mass.) scored her eighth goal of the season 11:28 into the first half, finishing on a reverse pass from junior Erin Kish (Littleton, Mass.) to give the Corsairs a 1-0 lead. The Blue would tie the contest at 17:04, when Sharkin scored her first of the game, and her seventh of the season. Negron ripped the ball from the top of the circle towards Sharkin who deflected it off a Dartmouth defender and into the cage. Negron's stroke would give the Blue a 2-1 edge at the break. 

The game belonged to the Blue in the second half, as the hosts added three more goals to close out the 5-1 win. Sharkin scored her second 5:11 after the break, carrying the ball through the middle and into the circle before powering home a shot from the right side to make the score 3-1. 

Peterson would added the final two Wellesley goals, one timing a loose ball following a cross at 43:30, before scoring on a great individual effort at 48:51. Peterson now has eight goals on the season, tied with Sharkin for the team lead.

Wellesley outshot the Corsairs by a 20-9 margin in the contest. The Blue also drew 21 penalty corner chances, while UMass Dartmouth earned nine. 

Wellesley will be off this weekend as they await word on their opponent in the first round of the 2016 New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Field Hockey Championship. First round action is scheduled to commence on Tuesday, November 1, with the Blue likely to host that afternoon. Final postseason seeding and match-ups will be announced following the conclusion of the NEWMAC regular season this weekend.