NORTON, Mass. — Springfield College scored with less than two minutes to play in the game to snap a tie, resulting in a 3-2 loss for host Wheaton College (Mass.) field hockey this afternoon in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference play at Nordin Field on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons slip to 7-9 overall and 3-5 in conference play. The Pride improve to 10-6 and 5-3, while clinching a spot in the NEWMAC Championship Tournament.
Prior to the match, Wheaton recognized its four seniors in a Senior Day ceremony to honor Rebecca Berman (Avon, Conn.), Maddie Hatch (Gorham, Maine), Riley Levrault (Lakeville, Mass.) and Abby Miller (Andover, Mass.) for their respective contributions to the program.
Despite Springfield owning an 18-8 shot advantage and a healthy 15-5 margin in penalty corners, the Pride led for just two minutes and seven seconds during the match.
Sophomore midfielder Kayla Wilonski (Wallingford, Conn.) scored a pair of goals to lead the Lyons, while junior keeper Grace Ferguson (Williston, Vt.) registered eight saves.
Senior forward Sarah Healy (Niantic, Conn.) scored with 74 seconds to play in the match to give the visitors the win. In addition to Healy's goal, senior defender Nicolette Morlock (Rexford, N.Y.) tallied three points with a goal and an assist for the Pride, while first year midfielder Clare Moore (New Preston, Conn.) also scored. First year goalie Sam Orcutt (Forestdale, Mass.) stopped four shots for Springfield.
Junior forward Ava Coppola (Southington, Conn.) was able to gain possession on the lower third of the field for the Pride, before sending the ball to junior forward Hailey Gaydos (Newington, Conn.) at the top of the arc. Gaydos sent a cross into the goalmouth, where Ferguson came off her line to meet the ball, but Healy was able to get there first in stride and slipped a shot past the Wheaton keeper with just 1:14 showing on the fourth quarter clock for her second marker of the season.
Springfield broke into the scoring column first with a goal coming with 10:22 left in the second quarter off their fourth straight penalty corner in a span of just 37 seconds. Morlock sent the insert pass to Moore at the top of the arc, who uncorked a hard shot into the back of the cage for her seventh marker of the season.
The lead didn't last long as the Lyons matched the goal with their first marker coming just 53 seconds later to knot the contest at 1-1. Wilonski took a feed from sophomore midfielder Kelsey Thompson (North Attleboro, Mass.), before weaving her way within the Pride defense and fired a shot that trickled past Orcutt to even the score with 9:29 remaining in the opening half.
Wheaton took its first lead of the afternoon, scoring just 4:56 into the second half to take a 2-1 edge off a penalty corner opportunity. Levrault sent a cross into the mix in front of the cage, where Wilonski was able to corral the ball and send it past the Springfield keeper for her team-leading ninth goal of the year to give the home team a one-goal margin.
The Pride pulled even with 4:17 to go in the quarter when Morlock converted a penalty stroke into the left corner for her sixth goal of the season.
The Lyons were unable to put together a scoring opportunity in the final minute of play as Springfield came away with the road win.
Wheaton returns to play when it hosts Bridgewater State University at Nordin Field on Thursday, October 30 at 7:00 p.m., while the Pride head to Franklin, Mass. on October 29 for a 3:30 p.m. tilt with Dean College.
