HENNIKER, N.H. - The New England College field hockey team returned to the winner's circle on Saturday afternoon with a dominant performance against the Albertus Magnus Falcons in the team's Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) opener. 

The 'Grims broke through on their fourth penalty corner of the match when junior Kacey McClay (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) sent the ball into play from the left side. Sophomore Kennedy Overhoff (Whitefield, N.H.) collected the pass and forced it into the bottom right corner of the goal for the opening goal.  

Just four minutes later, the 'Grims capitalized following a Falcons foul. McClay played a quick pass to junior Kylee Henriquez (Methuen, Mass.), who push the ball forward to the middle and found McClay again. From there she was able to connect with senior Isabella Marzano (Warwick, R.I.) who beat her defender and slipped the ball past the keeper into the bottom right corner, increasing the lead to 2-0.  

The team kept the momentum rolling with the third first quarter goal. Senior Cristina Manzi (Peapack, N.J.) was able to dribble past her defender and feed the ball to sophomore Kira Geddes (Bow, N.H.) who buried her shot from the left side of the circle with three and a half minutes remaining.  

Play was halted shortly afterwards when a lighting delay was called with 1:42 left in the quarter.  

Following a nearly two-hour delay, NEC wasted no time resuming its attack. With 22 seconds remaining, Geddes intercepted a Falcons pass and rushed into the circle, slotting her second of the game.  

Four minutes into the second quarter, the 'Grims converted on another penalty corner.  Overhoff set up senior Martina Hill (Abbot, Maine), who tallied her first goal of the game to push the lead to 5-0. Moments later, sophomore Mairead Kirby (Milford, N.H.) inbounded to Geddes by the 23-meter line. Controlling the ball just outside the shooting circle, Geddes scored her third goal of the game, completing her hat rick and making it 6-0. 

Coming out of a quick halftime break, NEC was able to continue its dominance and bring the ball past the shooting arc where freshman Madison Brown (Goffstown, N.H.) was able to grab a lost ball and find the net for her first goal of her collegiate career, extending the lead to 7-0.  

Junior Adelaide Kelly (Rockport, Maine) added the eighth tally after gaining possession off a turnover and beating her defender before slotting her shot between the keeper and left post. Five minutes later, McClay took the eighth corner of the game getting the ball to the top of the arc finding Golis for her first of the game.  

The 'Grims broke through again midway through the fourth quarter. Junior Leah Bohling (Chesapeake, Va.) found Manzi who dribbled to the top of the circle and found the bottom right corner for the 10th goal.  

Kelly struck again making it 11-0. Less than a minute after, McClay added a goal to her three assists – to close out the 12-0 victory.  

The Pilgrims will hope to continue the momentum for their non-conference matchup against the Keene State Owls on Tuesday night on Don Melander Field.  

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