SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Aided by a goal in each half, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology field hockey team posted a 2-0 victory over Mount Holyoke College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Saturday afternoon. The win moves the Engineers to 11-3 overall and 6-1 in conference play, while the Lyons slip to 9-6 with a 4-3 mark in the NEWMAC.
MIT opened the game's scoring at the 23:47 mark as sophomore forward Bailey Tregoning (Frederick, Md./Linganore) tipped in a shot at the right post. Navigating into the circle, junior forward Emily Penn (Columbia, Md./Howard) battled through a pair of defenders. She sent a shot through traffic as the goalie came forward for Tregoning on the right side.
The Lyons tried to nab the equalizer at 29:09 as sophomore midfielder Colby Newsham (Harvard, Mass./Bromfield School) sent in a shot from the top of the circle, but Engineers keeper Kate Brewer (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart Academy) deflected it out of danger to keep MIT up 1-0.
In the second half, MIT was able to capitalize once again at the 57:26 mark as a foul was called in the crease, giving the visitors a penalty stroke opportunity. Penn stepped up to take the shot, sending it over the left should of Lyons goalie Liz DiCesare (Westford, Mass./Bishop Guertin) for the 2-0 advantage.
Mount Holyoke, which held a 5-3 edge in penalty corners for the second half, had several solid looks over the final 13 minutes, but the Engineers defense held strong. The Lyons saw their best chances of the frame come over a three-minute span.
Sophomore midfielder Mirjam Keochakian (Hamburg, Germany/Deerfield Academy) got the flurry started with a shot from the right side, which Brewer made an easy kick save. Following a penalty corner less than 30 seconds later, senior forward Charlotte Wagner (West Chester, Pa./Westtown School) and Newsham were both able to fire in shots, which were turned aside by the MIT keeper.
The Engineers finished with a 9-6 advantage in shots, backstopped by Brewer's four-save shutout effort. MHC, which posted an 8-7 edge in corners, saw DiCesare post six stops in the defeat.
Prior to the match, the Lyons recognized their own nine graduating seniors, while also thanking the five seniors from MIT. MHC's Class of 2017 includes goalies DiCesare and Ally Tessier, defenders Ruvimbo Mushavi, Rachel Lenihan and Mariesa Mazzone, along with forwards Maura Anderson, Jessica Taylor, Katherine Guinee and Wagner.
Mount Holyoke returns to action on Wednesday when it travels to Westfield State for a 7pm match. MIT will be back on the field next Saturday, traveling to Babson for a 12pm showdown.
