UMass Dartmouth Secures Key LEC Victory Over Fitchburg State

FITCHBURG, Mass. – Senior Hannah Niemi snapped a 1-1 tie with the eventual game-winning goal in the third quarter to power the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth to a 2-1 victory at Fitchburg State Saturday afternoon in a Little East Conference field hockey contest. The Corsairs captured their second consecutive conference victory to improve their overall record to 7-10, including 6-5 in the conference circuit to move them to sixth in the standings with one league game to play. 
 
In a tightly-contested first half, neither team was able to muster an offensive attack. UMass Dartmouth held a 3-1 advantage in shots and a 4-2 lead in penalty corners at the intermission.
 
The Corsairs cracked the scoring column in the third quarter, when 5th-year senior Brittany Perry redirected a crossing pass from junior Mya Amaral past the Falcon keeper. Perry scored for the second straight game and recorded her team-leading 11th marker of the season. 
 
The Falcons (1-15, 0-10 LEC) didn't waste any time netting the equalizer as Jessica Morse potted her second goal of the campaign just seven seconds after the visitors.  
 
UMass Dartmouth regained its advantage in the later stages of the third, when Niemi ticketed her third goal of the season into the back of the net. The decisive scoring opportunity was created off a penalty stroke.
 
Freshman Alyssa McDonough played all 60 minutes in goal and made one save to earn the victory, while junior Colleen Lamprey reached double digits in stops with 13 for the Falcons.
 
UMass Dartmouth held a decisive 17-3 advantage in shots and a slight edge in penalty corners, 8-6.
 
The Corsairs return to action at 7 p.m. on Tuesday when they host Wellesley College in a non-conference matchup.