NORTHAMPTON, Mass., October 3, 2006 - Springfield College junior forward Brittany Veazie (Dexter, Maine) scored three goals this evening to lift the 15th-ranked Pride past host Smith College, 6-0, in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) match-up in Northampton, Mass.
Veazie has turned it on as of late for SC, which improves to 8-3 overall and a perfect 3-0 in conference action. The junior forward has now scored an impressive six goals in the Pride's past five contests. She has a total of eight for the season, and that, coupled with her three assists, is good for 19 total points of offense this season.
The Pioneers (3-7, 0-3 NEWMAC) came out aggressive in the first half, controlling much of the field while penetrating SC's defense. Smith took seven shots but was unable to push one past Pride junior goalkeeper Emma Kaplan (Ridgefield, Conn.), who made four saves in the first half to improve to 8-3 overall on the season. Finally, with ten minutes left in the opening stanza, Veazie put an end to the stalemate to give SC a one-goal edge heading into halftime.
In the second half alone, the Pride took 13 shots and connected on five of them to record the 6-0 victory. Veazie added her second goal of the night in the 43rd minute of play (42:11), followed by senior back Trina Palmer (Uxbridge, Mass.), who netted her first goal of the season in the 57th minute (56:01). After yet another Veazie score (61:52), freshman forward Rebecca Gamble (Granby, Conn.) then capped off the night with two consecutive goals (62:19, 68:24), her first two of the year.
SC will next host MIT in yet another conference showdown on Saturday afternoon, October 7th, in a 1:00 p.m. start on Benedum Field.
After nine years as head coach of the Pride, Melissa Sharpe has continued the tradition of winning on the field hockey turf, posting an impressive 130-68 record, good for a winning percentage of .656 at the helm of her alma mater. Read more.