Smith Tops Wellesley Field Hockey in NEWMAC Play, 4-1

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Junior Laura Dreher (Durham, N.H.) scored a hat trick to lead visiting Smith College to a 4-1 NEWMAC victory over Wellesley College field hockey on Saturday afternoon at Butler Stadium.

Dreher's first career hat trick and a goal from junior Caroline McShea (Pittsburgh, Pa.) pushed the Pioneers (7-7 overall, 4-2 NEWMAC) to victory. Wellesley (7-7 overall, 3-3 NEWMAC) got a third quarter goal from senior Cassidy Novello (Scotch Plains, N.J.) but it wasn't enough to rally from a first half deficit.

Following a scoreless first quarter, Smith scored twice in the span of a minute in the second quarter to take control of the game. Dreher delivered the first, pouncing on a loose ball at the top of the circle and depositing it into the Blue cage to give the visitors a 1-0 lead at 24:26. McShea made the score 2-0 at 25:26. After an attempt by Eva Kinnel (Newtown, Pa.) was denied by Wellesley senior goalkeeper Kyra Deehr-Lewis (Newtown, Pa.), the rebound came back to Kinnel who knocked the ball to McShea to finish into an open cage. 

Wellesley got on the board after the break when Novello redirected a long drive from outside the circle by sophomore Sophia Sohigian (Wilmette, Ill.) up and into the Smith goal at the 37:15 mark. However, Dreher pulled the goal back from the Pioneers on a penalty corner just minutes later, redirecting a drive from Coco Cornell (Arlington, Texas) at 40:14 to put Smith ahead, 3-1.

Dreher capped off the hat trick with a great individual effort in the fourth, stick handling at the top of the circle before arching a shot up and into the Blue cage.

Smith finished the game with a 7-5 advantage in shots and a 4-3 edge in penalty corner opportunities. Goalkeeper Abby Halpin (Pine Bush, N.Y.) made one stop to earn the win (5-3) for the Pioneers. Deehr-Lewis finished the game with one save in the Blue goal.

Both teams play on Tuesday, October 17.The Blue host Babson at 5:00 PM while the Pioneers head to WPI for a 7:00 PM game.