No. 10 Field Hockey Scores Three Second Half Goals to Down Wesleyan (Conn.), 3-1

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – No. 10 Wellesley College field hockey scored three second half goals to take a 3-1 non-conference victory over host Wesleyan College on Sunday afternoon. The victory, Wellesley's first road win of 2015, moves the Blue to 3-0 overall. Wesleyan drops to 1-2 with their second consecutive setback.

Despite a 9-0 advantage in shots and a 7-0 edge in penalty corners, Wellesley was unable to solve Wesleyan senior goalkeeper Sara Grundy (Montpelier, Vt.) in the first half. Grundy finished with nine saves in the game for the Cardinals, including six in the scoreless opening session.

In the second half, it took the Blue less than five minutes to find the back of the cage, as Wellesley converted on the first penalty corner opportunity after the intermission. 

Sophomore Nikki Sharkin (Summit, N.J.) finished off the play for the Blue, scoring her first goal of the season on a set up from first year Cecie Negron (Midlothian, Va.) and junior Courtney Peterson (Glastonbury, Conn.). Peterson inserted the ball to start the play, before Negron redirected the pass to the middle for Sharkin to score the first goal of the game at 39:09 of the second.

The Blue wasted little time adding to their lead, converting on their next penalty corner opportunity. This time Negron beat Grundy to score her first collegiate goal at 41:01, as Peterson added her second assist on the day. Negron's first career tally would also wind up being the first game-winning goal of her career. 

Wellesley added the game's third goal at 53:06, as senior Hannah Flesch (Rockville, Md.) scored her first of the season on an assist from classmate Anissa Sridhar (London, Ontario, Canada). Flesch finished on a pass played in front by Sridhar to extend to the Blues advantage to 3-0.

Trailing late, junior Lauren Yue (Guilford, Conn) helped the Cardinals make good on their final penalty corner opportunity of the contest. Senoir Hannah Plappert (Newtown, Pa.) started the play, inserting the ball to first year Abby Warren (Lake Forest, Ill.). Warren then slapped a shot toward the front of the cage that Yue redirected past Wellesley goalkeeper Lucy Hurlock (Needham, Mass.) and in. The goal snapped Wellesley's season opening scoreless streak at 201:12.

Wellesley will return home to host Trinity on Wednesday, September 16, at 4:30 PM. The Cardinals will also be home on Wednesday as well, playing host to Eastern Connecticut at 5:00 PM.