Bay Path Falls in Season Opener to Anna Maria
LONGMEADOW, Mass.-Senior member and graduate student Sarah Gates (Crown Point, Ind.) tallied the Wildcats lone goal in the season opener breaking up the Anna Maria AMCATS shut-out with a final score of 7-1 in the NCAA Division III regional field hockey.
Anna Maria's senior forward Emily Nugent (Worcester, Mass.) notched her first hat-trick of the 2010 campaign. Nugent struck first in the first minute of play off a well passed cross by junior forward Katie Schebel (Ludlow, Mass.). Five minutes later senior midfielder Samantha LaCroix (Leicester, Mass.) netted the eventual game winner for the AMCATS.
Nugent would score the third goal and also add the final goal of the game in the 68th minute of play in the second half. Sophomore defender Marissa Cosenza (Worcester, Mass.) would be awarded the assist for the third goal at 9:09 on the clock after a well smacked penalty corner.
Senior Sarah Boyda (Oxford, Mass.) drove the ball in for the fourth and final goal of the first half making the score a 4-0 heading into the break.
Boyda would keep the flame lit for the AMCATS for the fifth and sixth goals as well coming out of the half-time break. She notched an assist at 37:43 on the clock off a pass inside the box to senior midfielder Mary Anne McLaughlin (Wallingford, Conn.) who sliced the ball into the net. Boyda would then drive the ball back down the field for the sixth goal ten seconds later.
Bay Path would then start a push for the Wildcats during the next 15 minutes of the game. After one of five penalty corners taken by sophomore forward Elizabeth Barclay (Auburn, Maine), Gates was able to hammer the breakout goal for Bay Path in the 56th minute of play right inside the circle.
Senior goalkeeper Kim Barbato (Saylorsburg, Md.) finished with eleven saves facing 25 shots in which 20 were on goal.
Junior defender Maegon Whitcomb (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) and freshman midfielder Anna Bankowski (Granville, N.Y.) each pitched in at the net tallying two defensive saves for the Wildcats.
Anna Maria's senior keeper Allyssa Boykin (Worcester, Mass.) earned the win with one save and five shots. Sophomore defender Michelle Blackler (Ashland, Mass.) had a defensive save.
Anna Maria had ten penalty corners to Bay Path's eight for the game. Gates finished with two shots, while newcomer freshman forward Jackie Daly (Plympton, Mass.) had three shots.
Bay Path is now 0-1 while Anna Maria is now 1-1 overall. Bay Path will be back in action on September 12th at Wheaton College for a 1:00 p.m. start.
