HENNIKER, N.H. – The New England College field hockey team used a three-goal third quarter to prevail 3-0 over visiting Saint Joseph's College of Maine (SJC) in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) showdown on Saturday afternoon at Don Melander Field in Henniker, New Hampshire.
THE BASICS
Score: SJC 0, NEC 0
Records: Pilgrims 8-7, 7-3 GNAC | Monks 6-7, 6-3 GNAC
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Pilgrims started the game on the attack, as they pressured the Monks throughout the first quarter, dominating possession and holding a 4-0 edge in shots over Saint Joseph's. They were nevertheless held scoreless in the opening stanza.
- The second quarter was hotly contested as both teams struggled to create scoring opportunities. With 31 seconds left in the half, NEC graduate forward Drea Chin (Laconia, N.H.) drove on the St. Joseph's net, only to be stopped just short by SJC junior goalkeeper Kassidy Collins (Pittston, Maine) as the game entered halftime still tied at 0-0.
- With 11:54 left in the third quarter, the 'Grims finally broke through when NEC graduate midfielder Mikayla Vincent (Newburyport, Mass.) took the ball away in the SJC backfield and pushed it ahead, finding junior midfielder Meaghan McCamish (Warwick, R.I.) on the right side of the net. McCamish, in the midst of a breakout season for the team and the NEC Pilgrim of the Month for September, finished for her seventh goal of the year as the hosts took a 1-0 lead.
- Three minutes later, the Monks had a golden opportunity to answer, with four corners and three shots off one possession. The 'Grims' defense would be up to the challenge, however, stuffing the SJC attack and maintaining their lead.
- With four minutes remaining in the third, Chin – NEC's leading scorer – took over the game, scoring two goals in rapid succession, first on a blast from five yards out with 3:49 left, then again just 48 seconds later, both of those coming with assists to Vincent. Another flurry of shots by the Monks in the closing moments of the quarter were again turned away by the 'Grims, as they went into the fourth leading 3-0.
- The final quarter was again hotly contested, with the Monks desperate to get on the board and the Pilgrims determined to keep the pressure on. Ultimately, NEC's lead held up.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- NEC sophomore goalkeeper Makenzie Anderson (Antrim, N.H.) tallied three saves on the day for the Pilgrims. In 121:02 of conference play this week, Anderson has posted back-to-back shutouts despite battling two of the top teams in the GNAC in Saint Joseph's College and Johnson & Wales University on Tuesday, a 1-0 overtime victory over the previously unbeaten Wildcats.
- Collins finished with eleven stops for the Monks in a strong performance.
- SJC sophomore midfielder Sadie Tirrell (Naples, Maine) led the Monks with four shots.
- Shots were 14-9 in favor of the 'Grims, with a 14-3 edge in shots-on-goal.
- At press time, the Pilgrims are currently ranked third in the GNAC standings with just two conference games remaining on their schedule.
UP NEXT
- NEC is back on the field on Monday when they play host to the Falcons of Fitchburg State University in a 7:00 p.m. non-conference matchup.
- SJC likewise has a quick turnaround, as they travel to Thomas College on Sunday for a 1:00 p.m. game.
