SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. - Powered by a four-goal performance from junior forward Charlotte Wagner, the Mount Holyoke College field hockey team defeated Thomas College, 5-1 on Saturday afternoon. With the victory, the Lyons even out their record to 3-3, while the Terriers slip to 2-4 on the season.
Mount Holyoke opened the game's scoring in the 17th minute as Wagner (West Chester, Pa./Westtown School) scored off a nice feed from first year midfielder Kristina Ramsden (Florence, Mass./Northampton). Collecting the pass at the top of the circle, Wagner charged into the zone, ducking around one defender and the Terriers keeper for the shot into the empty box.
The duo of Wagner and Ramsden combined once again for the Lyons second goal. Positioned in the high slot, Ramsden found the ball, backhanding it into traffic. The ball slid past the goalie to Wagner, who fired it in on the left side in the 27th minute.
MHC made it a 3-0 game just as time expired in the opening half as senior captain and midfielder Sarah LaQuerre (Old Orchard Beach, Maine/Cheverus) sent a shot in off a penalty corner injection by classmate and forward Anna Hartman (Montpelier, Vt./Montpelier), which slid past the keeper and back to Hartman, who poked it in on the left side.
The second half saw the Lyons add to their advantage in the 47th minute as LaQuerre rifled a shot in from the top of the circle. The ball sailed in front and onto the stick of senior forward Julia Bell (Longmeadow, Mass./Wilbraham and Monson), who made the quick cross to Wagner for the left side tally.
Thomas finally broke past the MHC defense less than a minute later as junior forward Gabby Martell (Gorham, Maine/Gorham) found the ball in a heap of traffic in front and sent it through to the left. First year forward Sophany Srey (Biddeford, Maine/Biddeford) was there, jamming it home to pull the visitors to within three (4-1).
But it would be Wagner to close out the game's scoring in the 54th minute as she carried the ball into the circle, fired a shot that deflected off a defender's stick and right back to her for her fourth tally of the game. It also marked the second time this season that Wagner has recorded four goals in a contest.
Mount Holyoke held the shot advantage with a 21-6 margin (12-5 on goal). They also carried the edge in penalty corners, 10-4. Lyons' keeper Liz DiCesare (Westford, Mass./Bishop Guertin) earned the win, she did not have any stops. Classmate Ally Tessier (Coventry, R.I./Portsmouth Abbey School) came on for the final 10:05 of relief and made four stops.
For Thomas, junior Abbie Charrier (Waldo, Maine/Mt. View) had three stops in the first half, while sophomore Jessica Russell (Pembroke, N.H./Bishop Brady) made four saves in the final 35:00 of the game.
The Lyons return to action on Tuesday, hosting Wesleyan in a 7pm game on the turf field. Thomas is right back on the field on Sunday, taking on Plymouth State at the New Hampton School at 11:30am.
