Fast Start Helps Wellesley Field Hockey Down Clark, 4-0

WORCESTER, Mass. – Wellesley College field hockey scored three unanswered goals in the first half and added another in the second half, to defeat Clark University, 4-0, in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Saturday at Granger Field.

Wellesley snaps a three-game skid and jumps back over .500 with the victory, improving to 5-4 overall and 2-1 in NEWMAC tilts. Clark, who had won three-straight games by a combined score of 9-0 entering Saturday's game, drops to 5-5 overall and 1-2 in the NEWMAC.

The Blue got off to a hot start in the first half, scoring three times to take a 3-0 advantage into the break. Senior Emmy Hamilton (New York, N.Y.) netted the first goal, helping the Blue convert on their second penalty corner try in the opening three minutes when she scored on an assist from Mitzi Wiggin (North Hampton, N.H.) at 3:09.

Junior Arielle Mitropoulos (Cambridge, Mass.) added the second Wellesley goal at 10:53, scoring unassisted for her team-leading fifth time of the season. The Blue lead jumped to 3-0 just 2:15 before the half when junior Rachel Hwang (Campbell, Calif.), who saw an attempt go wide of the cage a minute earlier, scored her first of the year.

After totaling 16 shots in the first half, Wellesley went on to outshoot the Cougars, 9-4, in the second half, adding a fourth goal at 65:41 when first year Carson Dennis (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.) scored her third of the season on an assist from classmate Julia Ellman (Guilford, Conn.) at 65:41. Wellesley finished with a large advantage in shots, 25-6, and penalty corners, 12-1, in the game.

Blue first year goalkeeper Janelle Sullivan (Philadelphia, Pa.) was called into action four times in the contest and made all four saves to record her first career shutout and second win (2-3) of the season. Clark junior goalkeeper Dani Michaud (Providence, R.I.) made ten saves and drops to 4-5 on the year.

Both teams will square off with their crosstown rivals in NEWMAC play on Tuesday, October 4, with the Blue returning home to host Babson College at 4:00 PM and Clark welcoming WPI at 6:00 PM.