No. 3 Blue Defeats No. 6 Smith in Quarterfinals of NEWMAC Field Hockey Championship

WELLESLEY, Mass. -- Sophomore goalkeeper Kyra Deehr-Lewis (Newtown, Penn.) tallied 13 saves to lead Wellesley to a 2-1 win over Smith in the quarterfinals of the NEWMAC Field Hockey Championship. 

Blue head coach Callie Lekas '10 earned her first postseason win as Wellesley improves to 10-6 overall and will face MIT on Thursday night. No.6 seeded Smith College ends the season at 5-13.

Deehr-Lewis began the match with a test and saved two shots within the first 1:45. Smith would continue the pressure and at the 6:31 mark scored the game's first goal. Sophomore Karlie Guimond (Hatfield, Mass.) netted her eighth goal of the year after a steal and gave the Pioneers a 1-0 lead. Just a minute later in the first quarter, the Blue would earn a penalty stroke and send Maddie Bettencourt (Virginia Beach, Va.) to take the shot. Bettencourt fired a low shot that was saved by keeper Channy Cornell (Arlington, Texas) and Smith held on to the lead.

After a penalty corner late in the first period, Rose Weseley (New York, N.Y.) found an open Cass Novello (Scotch Plains, N.J.). Novello finished with a backhand shot and tied the game at 1-1. It was the fifth goal of the season for Novello and second assist for Weseley. Each goalie made one save in the second quarter and the game went into the break tied at one a piece.

Both teams kept up the defensive pace to begin the third quarter. Deehr-Lewis made two crucial saves just seven seconds apart to keep the game all square. Finally, over 10 minutes into the quarter the Blue found an opportunity. Leading scorer Alex Lenart (Princeton Junction, N.J.) took a pass by Bettencourt and fired home a goal. It would prove to be her fourth game winning goal of the season after putting Wellelsey ahead 2-1. With time running out in the fourth quarter, the Pioneers began to apply pressure. Smith rattled off three shots in under 20 second but all were saved by Deehr-Lewis. In total, the Wellesley keeper made five saves in the fourth quarter and helped the Blue secure the 2-1 quarterfinal win. 

The Blue advance to face #2 MIT in the semifinals of the NEWMAC Field Hockey Championship on Thursday, Nov. 4 at 6:00 PM.