Eagles Soar Past Wildcats 3-0
LONGMEADOW, Mass.—The Wildcats of Bay Path fell to New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) leader Daniel Webster College 3-0 today at Ryan Field in NCAA Division III field hockey action. NECC Player of the Week, junior midfielder Natalie Bates (N. Kingstown, R.I.) paved the way for the Eagles scoring the first and second goals finishing with four points on the match. Bates now leads the Eagles with nine goals.
Despite the 3-0 loss, Bay Path played the Eagles strong facing 29 shots, 24 of which were on goal. Senior Wildcat goalkeeper Kimberly Barbato (Saylorsburg, Penn.) made an amazing 17 saves. There was also four defensive saves for the Wildcats. The three goals scored by the Eagles came from two penalty corner attempts and one penalty stroke.
Bates struck first in the 24th minute of play after seven previous penalty corners for Daniel Webster. Sophomore forward Samantha Bark (Belfast, Maine) took the penalty corner for the Eagles that resulted in the first goal and eventual game winner.
Bates and Bark would repeat at the 30th minute with Bates again finding the back of the net off a great pass by Bark off the penalty corner.
The Eagles would control the 2-0 lead heading into the half. Daniel Webster would finish with 29 penalty corners to Bay Paths two for the 70 minutes of play.
The game would begin to get a little heated coming off the break with two players from each team receiving green cards.
The final goal was scored at 47:06 on the clock after a blocked shot attempt by Bates that Barbato deflected off her stick was then touched by a Bay Path player resulting in a penalty stroke attempt. NECC Rookie of the Week, freshman forward Sierra Ackerman (Saratoga, Calif.) connected for the penalty stroke to notch her seventh goal of the 2010 campaign.
Bay Path's two forwards senior Jessica Priestly (Middleboro, Mass.) and freshman Stephanie Belsen (Windsor Locks, Conn.) were the only two Wildcats to attempt shots. Defensively the back-line was effective warding off 29 shots faced with junior defender Maeghan Whitcomb (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) having two defensive saves while senior defender Amber Hogenmiller (Hinsdale, N.H.) and freshman midfielder Ruth Chaote (Lewiston, Maine) each tallied one for the match.
The Eagles freshman keeper Teresa Moscati (Buffalo, N.Y.) earned the shut-out finishing with two saves.
Daniel Webster is now 6-2 overall and 3-0 in the NECC, while Bay Path is 1-6 and 1-3 in conference. Bay Path will host Rivier in a non-conference match on Columbus Day at 1:00 p.m., while Daniel Webster travels back to Chicopee to face host Elms in a NECC match on Tuesday the 12th at 7:00 p.m.
