DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Graduate student
Alessia Salzillo (Saugus, Mass.) scored a pair of goals to lift Plymouth State University over the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 5-4, in a Little East Conference (LEC) field hockey game at Cressy Field on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts struck first 2:54 into the contest to give the Corsairs an early 1-0 lead. Sophomore
Sarah Adamske (Windham, N.H.) netted her eighth goal of the season to tie things up, 1-1, later in the first quarter. In the final minute of the first, Adamske found Salzillo and she sent a shot into the back of the net for her first of the game, and a 2-1 Panthers' lead.
The second quarter saw both teams trade chances in a back-and-forth battle. PSU looked to get a stranglehold on the game when graduate student
Taylor Healey (Campton, N.H.) and junior
Ellie Monahan (Watertown, Mass.) each scored in a span of 1:20 midway through the second for a 4-1 lead. The Corsairs didn't back down and added two of their own in just over a minute to cut the Panthers' advantage to 4-3 at halftime.
The score remained 4-3 heading into the fourth quarter until Salzillo added her second of the game for some insurance. Again, UMD came back, scoring a goal to make it 5-4 with just under two minutes remaining. The Panthers controlled the ball the rest of the way and walked off with the win.
Plymouth State jumps to 9-6 (3-1 LEC), while the Corsairs fall to 4-14 (1-4 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 5, UMass Dartmouth 4
- Plymouth State (9-6, 3-1 LEC)
- UMass Dartmouth (4-14, 1-4 LEC)
How it Happened:
- The Corsairs struck first 2:54 into the contest for the early 1-0 lead.
- Adamske answered back to tie it at one with her eighth goal of the season.
- Salzillo scored her first of the game in the final minute of the opening quarter to give PSU a 2-1 lead.
- Healey and Monahan each scored within a 1:20 span for a 4-1 advantage.
- The hosts scored a pair of quick goals of their own to cut the deficit to one, 4-3.
- Both teams clamped down on defense to start the third quarter, limiting scoring chances.
- Salzillo added her second of the contest late in the final frame to grab some insurance.
- The Corsairs didn't go quietly, though, pulling back to within one, 5-4, in the final two minutes.
- The Panthers were able to hold on for the conference win.
By the Numbers:
- Salzillo recorded the first multi-goal game of her career.
- Healey scored her team-leading 11th goal of the season. She added an assist, the 23rd of her career, to move into a tie for sixth in program history.
- Monahan had a goal and two assists to record the first multi-point game of her career.
- Adamske added a goal and an assist.
- Plymouth State improves to 29-13-1 in the head-to-head matchup.
Up Next:
- The Panthers host VTSU Castleton on Wednesday (Oct. 30) in a league game that will have significant postseason seeding implications. Game time is set for 4:00 p.m., with Senior Day festivities to take place immediately following the game.
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