Field Hockey (6-6, 1-2) Splits Pair of One-Goal Affairs, Completes Long Road Trip

The Wheaton College field hockey team went 1-1 in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play last week, splitting a pair of one-goal road games. The Lyons downed Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), 2-1 on Tuesday before narrowly falling at four-time defending league tournament champion Springfield College, 1-0 on Saturday. Wheaton's contest with the Pride was its last on a six-game road swing, the team's longest since playing six straight away from Norton in 1983.

Freshman Cara Cusson (Ashfield, MA/Mohawk Trail Regional) tipped home sophomore Ashley English's (Watertown, MA/Watertown) penalty-corner blast with 51 seconds remaining at WPI, giving Wheaton its eighth consecutive win over the Engineers. The Lyons rallied from an early deficit when senior Alisa Ardito (Branford, CT/Branford) knotted the contest in the 26th minute off penalty-corner touches by junior Alex Block (Saratoga, CA/Saratoga) and sophomore Margaux Bolte (Belmont, MA/Belmont). Junior Andrea Bagley (Foxboro, MA/Foxboro) made eight saves.

At Springfield, which earned a national ranking earlier in the season, Wheaton held the Pride off the board until nearly 20 minutes remained in regulation during a contest that saw most of the action limited to the midfield. Bagley had nine stops for the Lyons.

In addition to standing first in Wheaton history with 28 career assists, Ardito remains third in points (78) and fourth in goals (25). She is two markers shy of third, while Block's 18 goals have her two away from the top 10. She also has 43 points, just four short of the top 10.