REHOBOTH, Mass. - Junior Bonnie Davies (Roxbury, Conn./Shepaug Valley) scored on a penalty stroke 3:20 into overtime to give the Wheaton College field hockey team a 3-2 win over the University of New England in the first meeting between the two teams Sunday afternoon at Faxon Field.
Today's win marked the fourth straight for the Lyons, who improved to 6-2-0, while the University of New England dropped to 3-4.
Davies' goal came following a scrum in front of the cage. A Nor'easter player used her hand to stop a shot on goal in the fourth minute of overtime to set up the stroke. Davies connected to the top left corner in giving the Lyons the win.
The University of New England took a 1-0 lead on a goal by junior Bree Tupper (Winthrop, Maine/Winthrop) just 5:49 into the game. The score came off a penalty corner and was assisted by senior Michaela Franey (York, Maine/York). Wheaton's freshman goalkeeper Ellie Massengill (Amherst, Mass./Amherst Regional) made a pair of saves at point-blank range with about eight minutes left in the first half to keep the margin at one entering the break.
Senior Jessica Strock (Centerville, Mass./Barnstable) scored the equalizer for the Lyons just 3:30 into the second half. Her team-best ninth goal was assisted by junior Emily Asack (Stoughton, Mass./Pomperaug Regional). The Lyons took the lead at 55:02 when senior Margaux Bolte (Belmont, Mass./Belmont) set up senior Julia Atwood (Concord, Mass./Brooks School). The Nor'easters tied it just 2:23 later on a tally from freshman Hayley LaPointe (Topsham, Maine/Mount Ararat).
Wheaton controlled play in the second half, but Massengill was forced to make a pair of diving saves following a penalty corner as regulation time expired. Massengill finished the game with six saves for the Lyons, who outshot the University of New England by a 52-16 count. Wheaton finished with an 18-12 advantage in penalty corners. Nor'easter senior goalkeeper Ayla Nelson (Auburn, Mass./Auburn) collected 20 saves, including 15 in the second half.
Wheaton returns to action this Saturday when it hosts Clark University in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) match at 1:00 p.m.
