NEWTON, Mass. – Lasell University grabbed a first quarter goal and held on for the 1-0 victory over UMass Dartmouth in non-conference field hockey action on Sunday afternoon. The Lasers move to 1-0 on the young season, while the Corsairs slip to 1-1 overall.
The Lasers opened the game's scoring at 11:58 of the opening quarter as Megan Crabtree banked a shot in past the reach of Corsairs goalie
Hannah Trombly.
After a scoreless start to the second quarter, the UMass Dartmouth defense was tested as Lasell was awarded the penalty corner at 26:59. Trombly came up with two big stops off shots from Amelia McAfee and Kaitlin Bedell, while a shot from Mara Boldy was blocked.
The Lasers were awarded another penalty corner, this time seeing sophomore defender
Sophia Bouffard come up big as she saved a shot off the stick of Boldy, while the ensuing shot from Crabtree went just wide to keep it locked at 1-0 after two quarters.
Third quarter action saw Lasell come in on the attack as back-to-back shots from Boldy and McAfee tested Trombly once again. The Corsairs countered mid-way through as consecutive shots from sophomore forward
Logan Diffley were turned aside by Lasers keeper Courtney Tello.
After another outstanding defensive save, this time from sophomore
Sam Gacioch at the 35:34 mark, Trombly stepped up big once again minutes later with three saves in a row in less than 30 seconds to keep the game locked at 1-0 in favor of the home team.
In the fourth quarter, the two teams traded shots as Boldy drove a shot in on Trombly for her 10th save of the match, while another drive off the stick of Diffley saw Tello notch her eighth stop of the game. Lasell earned a penalty corner late in the contest, but Boldy's attempt went wide of the net at 52:10.
UMass Dartmouth had an outstanding opportunity in the final minute of play, earning the penalty corner as a shot from sophomore middie/defender
Sam Gacioch was blocked to earn another attempt. Off the insert from Bouffard, rookie
Ava Lozeau drove home a shot, but it was stopped by Tello. The Corsairs earned another penalty shot, but a foul returned the ball to Lasell's possession in the closing seconds.
Trombly, who finished with 11 saves in the contest, was aided by the solid defensive work of Bouffard Gacioch. Both recorded a defensive save each on the Corsairs goal line.
Lasell was paced by the Crabtree goal, while Trello finished the afternoon with nine stops in the Lasers goal.
The Corsairs return to action on Wednesday, making their 2024 home debut on Cressy Field against Elms College at 7pm.
