Wakefield scores twice as Panthers move to 2-0 in LEC

            PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Sophomore Haley Wakefield (South Paris, Maine) scored twice in a span of 72 seconds to lead Plymouth State University to a 3-1 win over Framingham State University in a Little East Conference (LEC) field hockey game played at the New Hampton School on Friday night.

            With the win the Panthers even their mark at 2-2 (2-0 LEC), while Framingham State drops to 1-2 (0-2 LEC).

            The Basics:

            Plymouth State 3, Framingham State 1

            Plymouth State 2-2, 2-0 LEC

            Framingham State 1-2, 0-2 LEC

            How it Happened:

            * The Panthers controlled play through the first half but were unable to put a shot past senior Haley Duggan (Framingham, Mass.) as the game remained scoreless into the intermission.

            * Wakefield finally broke through 5:46 into the second half. Junior Keeley Bartolini (Topsham, Maine) carried the ball across midfield before sending a long pass to freshman Jess Mezquita (Atkinson, N.H.). Mezquita fired a shot that was saved by Duggan, but Wakefield was there to clean up the rebound.

            * Wakefield notched her third goal of the season just 72 seconds later. The 5-4 forward stole the ball at midfield, sprinted down the right side past a pair of Rams defenders and lifted a shot to the far post for a 2-0 lead.

            * FSU cut the deficit in half at the 57:29 mark. With a crowd in front of the Panthers' goal, sophomore Kaitlin Burch (Douglas, Mass.) flipped a pass to junior Caitlin Baril (Lakeville, Mass.), whose shot snuck through the PSU goalkeeper.

            * Freshman Shannon Ford (Bow, N.H.) restored the two-goal lead at the 68:16 mark. Off a restart, senior Patty Newhard (South Dennis, Mass.) pushed the ball to the near side post and Ford was able to redirect it past the FSU goalie to make it 3-1.

            * Sophomore Meaghan Allard (Amherst, N.H.), in her first action of the season, made a number of strong defensive plays to break up the Framingham State attack.

            Inside the Numbers:

            * Plymouth State outshot the Rams by an 18-6 margin, including 12-1 in an overpowering first half.

            * Duggan made nine saves for Framingham State but fell to 0-1-0, while sophomore Jess Distler (Brookfield, N.H.) improved to 2-2-0 for the Panthers while making three stops.

            * PSU held a 9-0 advantage in penalty corners during the first half, and a 10-4 edge for the game.

            * The Panthers have won nine-straight games against Framingham State and lead the all-time series 18-2.

            * After being held without a point through the team's first two games and into overtime of its third, Wakefield has erupted for three goals over the last 70:01 of game action.

            Straight from the Coach's Mouth:

            "I thought this was a great game for us tonight," said head coach Bonnie Lord. "Patty [Newhard] and junior Kylie Ham (Wayland, Mass.) did an amazing job in the defensive end tonight, and Meaghan [Allard], who broke her foot in July, this was her first time back on the field and I was very, very pleased."

            Up Next:

            * PSU continues a stretch of four-straight home conference games on Wednesday (Sept. 19), when the Panthers host Fitchburg State at 6:00 p.m. at the New Hampton School.

            * The Rams are also in action on Wednesday (Sept. 19), hosting UMass Dartmouth in an LEC showdown. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.

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