Eagles Fly Over Wildcats 4-1

NASHUA, N.H. - Sophomore Natalie Bates (N. Kingstown, R.I.) kept up her torrid scoring pace to start the season netting her second straight hat trick as Daniel Webster College topped Bay Path College, 4-1 in a New England Collegiate Conference field hockey matchup Saturday at Harvey Woods Field.

Bates, who notched three in the Eagles 5-2 win over Regis this past Wednesday, matched her first year season total from a year ago in just her fourth game of the season as the Eagled improved to 4-0 (2-0 NECC).

The win also gave the Eagles a season sweep of the Wildcats (0-4, 0-2 NECC), after posting a 4-1 win in Longmeadow, Mass. last week.

Sophomores Sarah Steves (North Granville, N.Y.) added a solo score and goalkeeper Amy Prince (Hope Valley, R.I.) made four stops.

Elizabeth Barclay (Auburn, Maine) scored for Bay Path, while Samantha Berrios (Manhattan. N.Y.) made seven saves.

The Eagles controlled the tempo almost from whistle to whistle, finishing with a 17-4 total shots advantage and had 18 penalty corners to Bay Path's three.

Bates got the hosts on the board with a 15-yard blast 8:44 into the contest and Steves doubled the lead taking a short pass in front from Kyla Palaschak (E. Bridgewater, Mass.) at the 17:29 mark.

Bates followed with another 15-yarder with 2:56 to go before the break to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead at the break.

Barclay broke the shutout bid with her first of the season off a Sam Bosco (Bridgewater, Mass.) pass during a scramble in front with 5:36 remaining, but Bates answered with her ninth of the year rifling a 20-yarder to far left corner with 2:23 to go to close out the scoring.

Story Courtesy of Ken Belbin, Assistant Director of Athletics Sports Information-Daniel Webster