Panthers blanked for first time this season

            FITCHBURG, Mass. – The Fitchburg State field hockey team used a five-goal first half to roll to its fifth league victory Saturday morning, downing Plymouth State University, 7-0 in Little East Conference action.

            Senior Megan Jacobs (Stoughton, Mass.) led the Fitchburg State attack, notching a game-high nine points on four goals and one assist, while sophomore Jamie Kelley (Pepperell, Mass.) added two scores, two helpers and six points on the day. Sophomore Mary-Anne Goodsell (W. Springfield, Mass.) chipped in the scoring barrage with her first collegiate goal, while junior Kaylee Bergeron (Acushnet, Mass.) and senior Mari Roma (Foxborough, Mass.) each tallied an assist.

            Fitchburg State took advantage of its first-half opportunities, converting five of its six shots on target. Jacobs kick started the Falcons scoring with her first tally of the game at the 8:52 mark before converting her second score just 14:30 later. Goodsell and Kelley followed suit with back-to-back markers over a 1:29 span before Jacobs capped the first half scoring with a one-timer to complete the hat-trick.

            In the second half, Fitchburg State controlled the offensive front, posting a 10-3 advantage in shots. The Falcons increased their lead to 6-0 as and the tandem of Jacobs and Kelley hooked up again. Jacobs rallied the Falcons, blasting a shot from the outside, but a deflection off Kelley's stick beat goalkeeper Hannah Sawyer (Kingston, N.H./Sanborn Regional) for her second marker of the game. Jacobs then added the Falcons seventh and final tally in the 69th minute, using a midfield pass from Roma for a turn and shoot goal from eight yards out.

            The Fitchburg State defense of Torey Van Ahnen (Seekonk, Mass.), Megan Coullahan (Wakefield, Mass.), and Saralyn Byler (Belleville, Pa.) was tenacious, holding off 12 Plymouth State corners throughout the game. Sophomore net minder Abbie Brown (Westwood, Mass.) was also strong, earning her third shutout of the season with six saves in net, while Sawyer finished with four stops in her 35 minutes of work.

            Fitchburg State (8-5, 5-3 LEC) will be in action again on Wednesday as it travels to Westfield State at 7 p.m. Plymouth State (8-5, 6-2 LEC) will visit Southern Maine on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. 

(Courtesy of Fitchburg State Sports Information) 

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