Field Hockey (5-9, 1-5) Drops Pair of One-Goal NEWMAC Road Contests During Week

The Wheaton College field hockey team suffered a pair of one-goal New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) setbacks on the road last week, as a late Lyon comeback was squelched in a 3-2 loss at Babson College on Tuesday before Wheaton dropped a 4-3 decision in overtime at Clark University on Saturday. The Blue and White has been defeated in six consecutive contests, but five have come by a single tally. Each of the past four losses were a one-goal setback, the first time the Lyons had gone through such a stretch since October 1996. With three NEWMAC contests remaining, Wheaton is eighth in the conference, as each of the top eight teams qualify for postseason play.

Seniors Cassie Abel (Windham, NH/Salem) and Alex Block (Saratoga, CA/Saratoga) played a major role in Wheaton's late comeback effort at Babson. A defender, Abel tallied her first college goal off a Block helper with 3:32 left in regulation before Block tipped home an Abel shot 1:50 later, but that's as close as the Lyons would get. Senior keeper Andrea Bagley (Foxboro, MA/Foxboro) made seven saves, while classmate Rachel Alfiero (Cape Elizabeth, ME/Cape Elizabeth) had a defensive save.

Wheaton had a 3-1 lead erased during a loss at Clark. Junior Julia Atwood (Concord, MA/Brooks School) scored twice, and sophomore Emily Asack (Stoughton, MA/Stoughton) added a goal and an assist. Bagley had 13 stops.

Block is fifth in program history in career goals (23) and points (55), while she and Abel are tied for eighth in games (76). Bagley is tied for fifth in wins (17) while standing sixth in shutouts (7) and seventh in saves (262) and minutes (2,520:13). Asack is tied for sixth in single-season goals (10) and points (27) while sitting in a tie for seventh in assists (7).