Box Score Worcester, Mass. – Springfield College got four goals from four different players and the visiting Pride snapped a two-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over Clark University in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) field hockey action on Tuesday.
Springfield, which has played one of the toughest schedules in New England, improves to 3-11 overall and more importantly moves to 3-3 in league play. The Cougars meanwhile, dip to 8-4 following their 7-1 start and now stand at 2-3 in conference action.
The Pride got on the board almost immediately, getting the seventh goal of the season from Kelly Gallo (Westfield, Mass.) just 1:25 into the contest.
Less than five minutes later Springfield rattled the back of the cage again when Tina DeGirolamo (Mansfield, Mass.) set up Jenn Califano (Suffern, N.Y.) at the 6:11 mark, making the score, 2-0.
Clark finally answered back when Madeleine Lutts (Salem, Mass.) recorded an unassisted marker at 21:51, closing the gap to 2-1.
The Cougars evened the score less than eight minutes later when Mel Melkonian (Worcester, Mass.) made some moves through the Springfield defense and fired a blast that whizzed past Pride netminder Grace Bibber (Darmiscotta, Maine) to knot the score at 2-2 on her 23rd goal of the season.
Things stayed that way until Springfield moved ahead for good when Megan McHugh (Greenfield, Mass.) notched her fourth goal of the season midway through the second stanza, making the score, 3-2.
Kayla Sokol (West Brookfield, Mass.) added a Pride insurance goal at 66:18.
Springfield held a 15-9 edge in shots and a 9-7 advantage in penalty corners.
Bibber made three saves in goal for the Pride to pick up her second win, while Kate McGrath (Wilmington, Mass.) made ten stops for the Cougars.
The Pride will return to the field on Thursday with home contest against Trinity, while Clark visits Mount Holyoke on Saturday.