Panthers rally for non-conference victory 

            HENNIKER, N.H. – Sophomore Olivia Colborn (Lancaster, N.H./ Mountain Regional) scored three goals Tuesday afternoon, leading Plymouth State University past the New England College Pilgrims, 5-3, in non-conference field hockey action at NEC's turf field.

            Junior Christina Parisi (Hampton, N.H.) tallied the other two goals for the Panthers, who came from behind twice to tie the score before pulling away for the victory.  PSU evened its overall record at 3-3, while the Pilgrims drop to 2-5.

            The Pilgrims opened the scoring just 5:43 into the first half as senior Samantha Escobar (Rumney, N.H.) one-timed in a cross from Emily Kuchta (Nowalk, Conn.).  Colborn (right) responded for PSU just eight minutes later as she fired in a shot off a pass through the middle from freshman Jackie Morin (Scarborough, Maine).

            The Pilgrims regained the advantage just a minute later as Escobar and Kuchta teamed up for another goal at the 14:52 mark.  Colborn answered again for the Panthers as she knocked in a rebound of her own shot with just over two minutes remaining in the opening half, knotting the game at 2-2.

            Plymouth State grabbed its first lead of the afternoon just minutes into the second half when Parisi dribbled through two Pilgrim defenders to record an unassisted goal.  Kuchta knotted the game in the 42nd minute with her fifth goal of the season assisted, by Brianna Gerrior (Gloucester, Mass.).

            Parisi came up huge for the Panthers with 10 minutes remaining in regulation as she fired in a shot unassisted, giving Plymouth State the 4-3 lead, and Colborn gave the Panthers additional breathing room with 16 minutes to play as she hooked up with Erin Norris (Hilton, N.Y.) for her seventh goal of the season to finish off her hat trick.

            The Panthers finished the game out shooting the Pilgrims 27-8.  Splitting time in goal for PSU was sophomore Hilary Lemelin (Milan, N.H.) and junior Elyse Sedgley (Hopkinton, N.H.), who each recorded two saves.  NEC's Jesse Kilcullen (North Salem, N.Y.) stopped 11 Panther shots.

            New England College returns to action on Saturday at conference opponent Salve Regina.  Plymouth will travel to Western Connecticut for a Little East Conference contest this Friday (6:00 p.m.)  

(Courtesy of New England College Sports Information) 

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