SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. - Powered by a career-high five goals from junior captain Colby Newsham, the Mount Holyoke College field hockey team defeated Westfield State University, 10-4 in non-conference action on Wednesday evening. With the victory, the homestanding Lyons close out their regular season home schedule and move to 11-5 on the season. The Owls slip to 8-9 overall.
Mount Holyoke opened the scoring quickly as Newsham (Harvard, Mass./Bromfield School) netted her first of the contest just two minutes into the frame, redirecting in a shot that had been played down by senior captain and forward Kaitlin Braz (Tolland, Conn./East Catholic) after a quick shot from the top of the circle by junior midfielder Mirjam Keochakian (Hamburg, Germany/Deerfield Academy).
The Owls tied it less than five minutes later as senior defender Rachel Bunce (East Dennis, Mass./Dennis-Yarmouth) tipped in a shot off the corner from junior midfielder Carly Zona (Auburn, Mass./Auburn) at 6:20.
MHC went on a run soon after, paced by back-to-back goals from Newsham. She scored unassisted after navigating the ball into the arch, sending a blistering shot in on the right side. Newsham then converted a Keochakian lift on the corner, sending it in at the left corner past first year Molly Duff-Still (Hatchville, Mass./Falmouth).
Sophomore midfielder Micaela Pierce (Newton, Mass./Beaver Country Day School) made it a 5-1 edge with less than two minutes to play in the half, converting a cross through the goal mouth by junior Liz Delorme (Florence, Mass./Bellingham).
Newsham scored her fourth of the contest just over five minutes into the second half to give the home team a 6-1 advantage, but the Owls struck back behind consecutive goals from first year forward Brianah Parker (Sutton, Mass./Blackstone Valley Tech.). Her first tally at 49:06 came off a great feed from classmate Jill Hamel (Uxbridge, Mass./Uxbridge), who crossed it through traffic to Parker for the blocker side tally.
Senior forward Megan Evans (Enfield, Conn./Enfield) then earned the assist on Parker's second goal, firing in a shot from just outside the Mount Holyoke defensive zone. The ball sailed in and Parker redirected it past Lyons keeper Gianna Molinari (Windsor Locks, Conn./Northwest Catholic) to pull the visitors to 6-3.
Despite the momentum, Westfield State was unable to stop Newsham, who fired in the Lyons seventh goal and her fifth of the contest. A shot in on the corner from Keochakian, banked off of senior forward Kaitlin Braz's (Tolland, Conn./East Catholic) stick. Newsham was there on the left post to bury the ball.
The Lyons knocked in two more goals, including the team-leading 13th of the year for senior foward Sophie Perekslis (Millerton, N.Y./Berkshire School) and a penalty stroke goal from Keochakian at 65:35 for the 9-3 lead.
Westfield State's Madey Shea (Bridgewater, Mass./West Bridgewater) closed the gap to five (9-4) with about four minutes to play, burying a cross from first year Marina Small (South Harwich, Mass./Monomoy Regional), but the Lyons struck for a final goal as first year Sophia Cote (Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook) scored the first tally of her college career on the right doorstep past keeper Katie Vamosi (Easton, Mass./Oliver Ames).
Molinari earned the win for the Lyons, picking up the first of her collegiate career with two saves over 52:44 of action. Classmate Maddie Miller (Marblehead, Mass./Marblehead) came on over the final 17:16 and did not make any stops. For Westfield State, Duff-Still shouldered the loss with four saves in the first half. Vamosi came on in the second half and posted seven stops. The Owls also saw sophomore defender Morgan Moffett (Florence, Mass./Northampton) make two defensive saves.
Mount Holyoke concludes its regular season on Saturday, traveling to WPI for a 1pm match. Westfield State is next in action on Saturday as well, hosting Eastern Connecticut State at 3:30pm for the Little East Quarterfinals.
