Field Hockey Stymies Hendrix, 3-0

NEW CANAAN, Conn. (Oct. 18, 2009) – Powered by junior midfielder Melissa Hartley and sophomore forward Shara Robertson, the Mount Holyoke College field hockey team cruised to a convincing 3-0 triumph over non-conference foe Hendrix College (Ark.) this afternoon at St. Luke’s School. Hartley assisted on all three goals, and Robertson scored a pair, as the Lyons collected their third win in a row.

Mount Holyoke took advantage of a penalty corner opportunity to get on the board at the 8:19 mark. After collecting the injection from Robertson at the top of the circle, Hartley fired a pass to Robertson, who buried a shot from point blank range.

The Lyons capitalized on another penalty corner chance just 1:40 into the second stanza to extend their cushion to 2-0. This time, Hartley received the initial pass at the top and dished to sophomore defender Tricia Chase on the left side. Chase took the feed and blasted a shot past Hendrix junior goalkeeper Alyssa Havens from just inside the circle.

Robertson then put things away less than five minutes later, when she recorded her team leading ninth tally of the season off another Hartley helper.

Mount Holyoke finished with edges in both shots (11-5) and corner chances (11-3). Sophomore goalkeeper Katie Gibson secured her fourth shutout of the year and sixth of her career by making a pair of saves. Meanwhile, Havens turned away five shots for the Warriors.

The Lyons (8-5, 3-3 NEWMAC) are slated to resume their New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) schedule at home on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. against Clark University. Hendrix (2-9, 0-5 SCAC) will host Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) foe Sewanee on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. local time.