Field Hockey Earns First-Ever NEAC Victory

AURORA, N.Y. – In the first-ever North Eastern Athletic Conference field hockey game ever played, the Wells College field hockey team scored three first-half goals en route to a decisive 4-1 victory over Morrisville State College on Saturday at the Athletic Association Field. Wells improves to 2-1 (1-0 NEAC) on the year, eclipsing last season's win total, while Morrisville State drops to 1-2 (0-1 NEAC) overall.

Wells earns their first-ever victory within the NEAC, who announced field hockey as a conference-sanctioned sport prior to the season. Competing independently for the previous eight seasons, Saturday's league win marks Wells' first since Sept. 23, 2006, a 4-0 victory over Mary Baldwin where the Express competed within the Atlantic Women's Colleges Conference. Wells also picked up its second victory of the year in only three games, eclipsing last season's win total.

Sophomore Kate Wells (Gardner, Mass.) scored the third Wells goal at 24:56, collecting a pass from senior Cat Taylor (Jackson, N.J.) before deking a Morrisville State defender and tucking the ball inside the right post. Junior Shianne Stokes (Mays Landing, N.J.) placed the Express up 4-0 with only 13 minutes remaining in regulation time, collecting a long feed from sophomore Nicole Sales (Woodbury, Conn.) and beating the opposing goalkeeper on a breakaway.

In the waning minutes of the contest, however, the Mustangs scored on their first shot on goal of the game. Lauren Kellum sent a nifty right-to-left cross following a penalty corner and Alyssa Bassett simply tapped the ball past the left post to break up the shutout.

Wells goalkeeper Sydney Line (Northport, N.Y.) moves to 2-0 on the year, allowing one goal on as many shots. Morrisville State backstop Liz Leva made an impressive 13 saves in the contest, allowing four goals on 17 total shots faced.

The Express return to action Sunday, Sept. 13 as they travel to the North Country to take on St. Lawrence in a 4 p.m. contest.