Wildcats Suffer 2-1 Loss in NECC Opener to Eagles

NASHUA, N.H. –Despite notching the first goal of the game at 22:54 sophomore Katherine Chabot (Brookfield, Mass.) along with the Wildcats were unable to hold the lead falling  2-1 to host Daniel Webster  in both squads' New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) opener Saturday at Harvey Woods Field.

Senior Courtney Brennan (Beverly, Mass.) scored a pair of goals including the eventual game winner with 9:19 remaining, notching the 40th and 41st goals of her career, had tied the game 10:31 into the second half after Bay Path had taken a 1-0 lead into intermission.

The victory was also the first of the season for the Eagles (1-7, 1-0 NECC) and first for DWC Head Coach Phoebe Hopkins. Bay Path dropped to 0-7 overall (0-1 NECC).

Despite being outshot 7-3 in the opening frame, the Wildcats jumped in front in the 22nd minute as Chabot blasted a 20-yarder off a penalty corner feed from freshman  Elizabeth Deane (Agawam, Mass.).

DWC pressured early in the second and it paid off when Samantha Bark (Belfast, Maine) crashed the Wildcat net, picked up a loose rebound and tipped off to Brennan who tapped it past Bay Path keeper Anna Meyer (Millbrook, N.Y.) with 24:29 remaining.

On Brennan's gamer, DWC drew a penalty corner and after a scrum in front, Eagle rookie Taylor St. Jean (Manchester, N.H.) fed Brennan in front for the lead.

DWC finished with a 17-6 advantage in shots (14-3 on goal) including a 10-3 difference in the second half.

Meyer finished with 12 saves for the Wildcats, while Danielle Melanson (Derry, N.H.) made two stops for the Eagles.