Wheelock Wildcats Prevail Over Bay Path Wildcats

BOSTON, MA - Sophomore Despina Savvoulides (Norwalk, CT/Norwalk) scored a career-high four times, and all five Wheelock College field hockey seniors made contributions during Senior Day on Saturday in a 7-0 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) victory over Bay Path College at Winsor Field.
 
The hosts finished their regular season at 7-8 overall and 5-3 in the league, while the visitors are now 3-9 and 2-6. Wheelock will hold down the third seed in the NECC Tournament, as it will travel to No. 2 Becker College on Wednesday for a semifinal, while No. 4 Bay Path heads to top-seeded Daniel Webster College.
 
Seniors Milbrey Hendrix (Kennett Square, PA/Sanford School [DE]) and Kara Widdison (Greenfield, MA/Greenfield) and sophomore Jacky Hull (Braintree, MA/Braintree) each tallied once for the Wildcats, while senior Julie Kilcoyne (Sterling, MA/Wachusett Regional) recorded a pair of assists. Classmate Michaela Ross (Mansfield, MA/Mansfield) tacked on a helper.
 
In goal, senior Meredith Race (Marion, MA/Old Rochester Regional) made one stop during the first half before freshman Michelle Greene (Mansfield, MA/Mansfield) went untested in the second period. Bay Path senior keeper Kimberly Barbato (Saylorsburg, PA/Pleasant Valley) made 10 saves.
 
Savvoulides scored twice in the opening 4:51, each off a Kilcoyne feed, to give the hosts an early advantage. Barbato batted down a Savvoulides one-time attempt with her left hand in the 13th minute, but Hendrix scored soon thereafter, picking up the rebound of sophomore Taylor Rogers' (Essex, MA/Manchester Essex Regional) saved shot at 12:51.
 
At 25:12, Hull one-timed home sophomore Abigail Cassell's (Bartlett, NH/Kennett) pass, and Savvoulides finished her hat trick before halftime, increasing Wheelock's advantage to 5-0 at 30:07. After Barbato stuck out her foot to block a try by sophomore Chelsey Ballard (Mansfield, MA/Mansfield), Savvoulides tipped the ball in at the left post.
 
Savvoulides converted Ross' one-time pass at 46:35, and Widdison completed the scoring for the game at the 53:10 mark, tallying off a tough-angle shot on the end line after receiving a pass from freshman Dakota Ripley (Marathon, NY/Marathon).

Story Courtesy of Wheelock SID