Wellesley Field Hockey Back on Track; Blue Down Clark, 4-2

WELLESLEY, Mass. – The Wellesley College field hockey team scored three second half goals en route to a 4-2 win over NEWMAC-rival Clark University on Saturday in Wellesley. The victory snaps the Blue's two-game losing skid and improves the team to 8-4 overall, 3-1 in NEWMAC play. Clark now stands at 6-5, 0-4 in the NEWMAC.

Wellesley recorded convincing advantages in shots and corners, piling on 25 shots to Clark's four, and picking up 21 corners while allowing the visitors only one. The Blue, however, needed a strong second half to seal the victory.

Wellesley broke through a scoreless game midway through the first half, as Nathalie Gruet scored on a rebound from an Allison Robbins shot to make it 1-0 Blue. Just 15 seconds later, Clark evened the game at 1-1 with an improbable goal from a long hit on the right side. Mel Melkonian laced a ball that threaded several players and found Kelly Hart in front of the cage, who tapped it in for a score.

Neither team was able to break the tie over the final 20 minutes in the first half, sending the contest into halftime at 1-1.

Wellesley wasted no time in the second half, scoring just 1:24 into the period. Nathalie Gruet deflected a hard-hit ball from Meghan Peterson off of a corner, to give the Blue a 2-1 lead.

Three minutes later, Wellesley stretched the lead to 3-1, after another corner deflection. This time it was Lallie Lukens who got a stick on the rocket shot from Peterson, re-directing it into the cage to give the Blue a two-goal lead.

Clark made things interesting, cutting the Blue lead to 3-2 in the 44^th minute. Melkonian used a hard hit ball from the top of the circle, to record her 22^nd goal of the season, this one off a corner insertion from Madeleine Lutts.

Wellesley responded, controlling play over the final 16 minutes, recording seven shots to Clark's one. Wellesley also added a goal as time expired, as Lukens collected a rebound in front of the cage after a corner, setting the final to 4-2 in favor of Wellesley.

Clark goalkeeper Jordannah Saunders kept the Cougars in the game, making 11 total stops in the loss. Wellesley's Brit Mscisz needed just one save to earn the win for the Blue.

Wellesley is back in action on Tuesday, traveling to Tufts University, taking on the #9 Jumbos at 5:00pm. Clark also plays a non-conference opponent on Tuesday, heading to Worcester State for a 7:00pm match-up.