CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – First year Charlotte Wagner produced a goal and three assists while junior Diana Banmann registered a hat-trick to lead the Mount Holyoke College field hockey team to a 6-2 victory over MIT in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Saturday. With the win, the #18 Lyons improve to 14-1 and 6-1 in conference play, while the Engineers slip to 12-4 and 5-2 in the NEWMAC.
MIT put the pressure on early and saw results as senior Maddy Wharton (Swarthmore, Pa.) converted a penalty stroke after 2:15 elapsed. Mount Holyoke responded with sophomore Sarah LaQuerre (Old Orchard Beach, Maine) tallying the equalizer four minutes later. Following a penalty corner, sophomore goalie Evie Kyritsis (Mountain Lakes, N.J.) turned away shots by junior Kirsten Kilburn (North Branford, Conn.) and Banmann (Hannover, Germany) before LaQuerre knocked in the rebound.
The Lyons gained some breathing room with markers in the 11th and 13th minutes, resulting in a 3-1 lead. After inserting the ball on a penalty corner, Wagner (West Chester, Pa.) tipped in a feed from Kilburn at the near post. Wagner then earned the first of three straight assists as she sent a cross from the near side to Banmann at the far post.
Coming out of their own timeout after the goal, the Engineers generated some momentum on the offensive end as they put two shots on net and earned a pair of penalty corners. 
However, the visitors' attack responded with a Kilburn blast at the top of the arc in the 28th minute and then capped the first-half scoring with 3:13 to go courtesy of a Banmann strike from the top of the circle on a penalty corner.
Mount Holyoke continued to push in the second stanza, registering five penalty corners and two shots on goal in the first six minutes. MIT responded by controlling the action during the next eight minutes, eventually ending its scoring drought on senior Molly Duffy's (New Providence, N.J.) redirection that was set up by senior Erin Kenney (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) in the 50th minute to make the score 5-2.
The Engineers kept the Lyons' defense active, but an interception by Banmann provided the final marker with 8:27 left to play. Deep in MIT's defensive end, Banmann picked off a pass and tapped it to LaQuerre who sent it back to her to complete the hat-trick.
Kyritsis totaled eight saves in the first half while sophomore Paige Kennedy (Eastchester, N.Y.) closed out the game for the Cardinal and Gray with two stops. For the Lyons, first year Liz DiCesare (Westford, Mass.) collected eight saves.
MIT will wrap up the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 2 with a home game against NEWMAC foe Babson College. Mount Holyoke returns to action on Tuesday, Oct. 29 when it hosts Westfield State University in a non-conference tilt.
Story courtesy of Mindy Brauer, Assistant Director - MIT Athletic Communications
