SPRINGFIELD, Mass., October 15, 2006 - The Springfield College field hockey team defeated Ithaca College, 3-1, this afternoon in a non-conference game at SC’s Benedum Field. The contest also marked the final home regular-season match for the Pride, which honored its six seniors before the game.
With the win, Springfield is now 12-3 on the season and ranked 16th in the latest Division III National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) poll. Ithaca falls to 4-9 overall and has now lost six straight.
SC took a 2-1 lead into halftime. The first goal was scored by sophomore Jillian Urtz (Verona, N.Y.) in the game’s 25th minute. Then five minutes later, senior Christine Gibbins (Eden, N.Y.) added to the Pride's lead with a goal to put SC up, 2-0. With 3:43 left in the first half, Ithaca came through with it’s first goal of the game from Bryce Meck. The goal was assisted by Krista Fieselmann.
It remained 2-1 for nearly seven minutes into the second half, but then Springfield junior Brittany Veazie (Dexter, Maine) scored a goal of her own which stood to be an insurance marker, while both teams played the final 28 minutes scoreless.
Junior goalkeeper Emma Kaplan (Ridgefield, Conn.) played the full 70 minutes for the Pride and was credited with three saves. Ithaca used two goalkeepers that played 35 minutes each. Freshman Chelsea Welsh had four saves and allowed two goals in the first half, while freshman Courtney Dowell was credited with six saves, while allowing one goal in the second half.
Springfield outshot Ithaca by an overwhelming margin of 17-4, while the Pride had 13 penalty corners to the Bombers’ four. SC will next play Tuesday afternoon, October 17th, at Mount Holyoke with a 4:00 p.m. start time in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) match.
After eight years as head coach of the Pride, Melissa Sharpe, has continued the SC tradition of winning on the field hockey turf, posting an impressive 120-58 record, good for a winning percentage of .674 at the helm of her alma mater. Read more.