SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (Oct. 5, 2010) – First year forward Stephanie Slysz found the back of the cage for what proved to be the winner in the 44th minute, as the Mount Holyoke College field hockey team downed non-conference foe Nichols College 2-1 this evening at the Mount Holyoke Turf Field. With the win, the Lyons snapped a three match slide and put a halt to Nichols' three match winning streak.
The Bison jumped out to a 1-0 edge at the 25:10 mark, when sophomore midfielder Emily Widdison tipped in a long hit into the circle from senior forward Eileen Clinton.
Mount Holyoke took advantage of a penalty corner opportunity to knot things up three minutes later. After receiving the injection, senior defender Meredith Spencer-Blaetz fired a pass to junior forward Shara Robertson from just outside the circle. Robertson proceeded to collect the feed and beat Nichols junior goalkeeper Krista-Jean Forand from point blank range. It was her team leading ninth tally of the season.
Slysz then recorded her first career winner at the 43:26 mark, when she guided a Robertson cross into the cage. It was her second goal of the fall.
Nichols fell despite slight advantages in both shots (12-11) and penalty corner chances (11-10). Junior goalkeeper Katie Gibson finished with nine saves in 60 minutes played for the hosts. At the other end, Forand turned away two shots.
Mount Holyoke (5-4, 1-2 NEWMAC) will resume its New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) slate on Saturday, when it visits Babson College at 6:00 p.m. Nichols (8-3, 4-0 TCCC) is scheduled to host Anna Maria College for a Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) tilt on Saturday at 11:00 a.m.
