SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (Sept. 5, 2010) – Led by junior defender Tricia Chase, the Mount Holyoke College field hockey team picked up a thrilling 1-0 victory over non-conference foe Washington College this afternoon at the Mount Holyoke Turf Field. Chase scored the lone goal of the match in the 62nd minute of play. It was the season opener for both squads and the first ever meeting between the two programs.
Chase found the cage for what proved to be the winner off an assist from classmate Taylor Hedges at the 61:09 mark. The goal came as a result of a penalty corner opportunity. After receiving a feed at the top, Hedges slipped a pass to Chase on the right side. Chase proceeded to rip a shot from just inside the circle that deflected off the stick of a Washington defender over the shoulder of senior goalkeeper Shannon Davis. It was her first career match winner.
Washington's best chance came in the waning minutes of the first half, when junior Emily Trees broke past the Mount Holyoke defense into the circle and crossed a pass to a wide open Kristien Wille on the left side. Wille fired a shot toward the Mount Holyoke cage, but junior goalkeeper Katie Gibson made a sprawling save to preserve the shutout.
Both sides finished with 11 penalty corners, and the Shorewomen came away with a slight 10-9 advantage in shots. Gibson collected three saves en route to her eighth career shutout. Five of those came last fall, when the Lyons posted an overall record of 10-8 and advanced to the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Semifinals. At the other end, Davis totaled six saves for the guests.
Mount Holyoke has now picked up wins in its last three season openers.
The Lyons (1-0, 0-0 NEWMAC) will return to action on Saturday, when they host Simmons College at 1:00 p.m. Their first three matches of the season will take place at the Turf Field. Washington (0-1, 0-0 CC) will get its home schedule underway on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. against Wesley College.
