SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (Sept. 24, 2011) – Sophomore forward Stephanie Slysz scored two times to propel the Mount Holyoke College field hockey team to a 5-3 triumph over NEWMAC foe Wellesley College this afternoon at the Mount Holyoke Turf Field. The Lyons exploded for goals over a span of 10:53 in the first half to set the tone for their third consecutive win.
A total of four players registered goals for the hosts, who put the brakes on a 14-match slide against Wellesley. The Lyons have now outscored their opponents 34-7 this season.
Senior forward Shara Robertson got Mount Holyoke on the board just over six minutes into the contest, when she tipped in a long entry pass from classmate Taylor Hedges. Robertson's team-leading ninth tally of the fall was just the beginning for the Lyons, who proceeded to score three more times before the break.
They extended their lead to 2-0 at the 11:49 mark, when Robertson dribbled into the circle and slid a short pass to Slysz in the middle of the circle. Slysz took two steps to her right and slotted a shot past first year goalkeeper Brit Mscisz for her first goal of the day.
Three minutes later, senior Jess Fajardo got her stick on a blast by first year midfielder Kirsten Kilburn to extend the lead to 3-0.
Kilburn emphatically capped off the rally at the 17:05 mark, when she rifled a shot past Mscisz from the top of the circle. Robertson was credited with the assist on the play.
Mount Holyoke's final two goals of the opening period came off of penalty corner sets.
The Lyons put things out of reach in the early stages of the second stanza, when Slysz used a feed from Robertson to push the lead to 5-0. Robertson's three assists were a career high.
Refusing to go away, Wellesley made things interesting with three goals down the stretch. All three tallies came off of penalty corner opportunities.
The first came at the 46:32 mark, when first year forward Nathalie Gruet knocked in a rebound from point blank range.
Nine minutes later, Gruet intercepted a shot by junior midfielder Allison Robbins and rolled a pass to first year forward Lallie Lukens on the right side. Lukens collected the cross and snapped a shot past Mount Holyoke senior goalkeeper Katie Gibson.
Junior forward Emily Lewis then scored her team-best ninth goal of the year to slice the deficit to 5-3 in the waning seconds, but it was not enough. Sophomore midfielder Alex Azzi was credited with the assist on the play.
Gibson amassed 12 saves for the Lyons, who were outshot 21-13 in the contest. She was at her best late in the first half, when she made a sprawling save on a penalty stroke by Azzi.
Mscisz stopped two shots in the first half before giving way to first year Becky Hamilton.
Mount Holyoke (5-1, 2-0 NEWMAC) will round out its four-match homestand versus Amherst College on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. Meanwhile, Wellesley (4-4, 0-2 NEWMAC) will entertain Tufts University on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
Photos by Leila Quinn '12
June 27, 2012
2011-12 Field Hockey Year in Review
March 26, 2012
Field Hockey Earns National Academic Honors
November 22, 2011
Robertson Earns First Team All-America Honors
November 17, 2011
Five Lyons Claim NFHCA All-Region Honors
November 10, 2011
NEWMAC Announces Fall Academic All-Conference Squads
November 9, 2011
Field Hockey Blasts Worcester State in ECAC Quarterfinals
November 9, 2011
Field Hockey Trio Selected to NEWMAC All-Conference First Team
November 6, 2011
Field Hockey Drops Heartbreaker to MIT in NEWMAC Championship
November 5, 2011
Lyons Game Day Central: NEWMAC Championship - Field Hockey vs. MIT
November 4, 2011
Lyons Game Day Central: NEWMAC Semifinals - Field Hockey vs. Babson
October 31, 2011
Field Hockey’s Match at Springfield Suspended Due to Snow
October 25, 2011
Gibson Named NEWMAC Field Hockey Defensive Player of the Week
October 25, 2011
Field Hockey Overpowers Westfield State Behind Robertson and Kilburn
October 24, 2011
Lyons Game Day Central: Field Hockey vs. Westfield State
October 22, 2011
Field Hockey Celebrates Senior Day With Shutout Victory Over Clark
October 21, 2011
Lyons Game Day Central: Field Hockey vs. Clark
October 18, 2011
Kilburn Buries a Pair to Lead Field Hockey Past WPI
October 15, 2011
MIT Edges Field Hockey in Pivotal NEWMAC Showdown
October 12, 2011
Field Hockey Overpowers Simmons For Third Straight Win
October 11, 2011
Fajardo Secures Lyon of the Week Award
October 8, 2011
Field Hockey Buries Babson With Second Half Explosion
October 7, 2011
Lyons Game Day Central: Field Hockey vs. Babson
October 7, 2011
Mount Holyoke Field Hockey Team Set to "Play Pink"
October 4, 2011
Field Hockey Bounces Back With Dominant Effort at Nichols
October 1, 2011
Wheaton Slips Past Field Hockey With Two Unanswered Goals
September 28, 2011
#11 Amherst Uses Overtime to Hold Off Field Hockey
September 27, 2011
Lyons Game Day Central: Field Hockey vs. Amherst
September 26, 2011
Robertson Named NEWMAC Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Week
September 24, 2011
Field Hockey Takes Down Wellesley With Huge First Half
September 23, 2011
Lyons Game Day Central: Field Hockey vs. Wellesley
September 19, 2011
Lyons Game Day Central: Field Hockey vs. Western New England
September 17, 2011
Field Hockey Sprints Past Smith Behind Robertson’s Hat Trick
September 16, 2011
Lyons Game Day Central: Field Hockey vs. Smith
September 14, 2011
Wesleyan Outlasts Field Hockey in Double Overtime Thriller
September 12, 2011
Gibson Picks Up NEWMAC Field Hockey Defensive Player of the Week Honors
September 10, 2011
Gibson Guides Field Hockey Past Castleton State
September 8, 2011
Lyons Game Day Central: Field Hockey vs. Regis
September 8, 2011
Mount Holyoke Rolls Past Regis in 2011 Opener
August 8, 2011
Mount Holyoke Athletics Unveils Facebook Page