Emma Bynes
@emma_bynes4
A hat trick from graduate-student Anna Beck capped off a dominant 5-0 win over Eastern Connecticut State in the Springfield College field hockey team’s home opener.
After opening its season 1-2 on the road, a home win was exactly what third-year Pride head coach Mia Olsen wanted from her team.
In the Pride’s previous game, a win over Western Connecticut State, they took 21 penalty corners and attempted 33 total shots, however Springfield only converted on one of the attempts, holding on for a 1-0 victory – their first of the season.
“Going into yesterday’s practice it was really important to work on our circle play,” Olsen said.
They did exactly that, scoring five goals, three of which came on penalty corners.
Beck, a transfer from Franklin Pierce, started off by scoring her first career goal for the Pride 91 seconds into the match. The ball fell to her on the left side of the circle, firing a shot into the bottom right corner of the net.
Olsen’s team had a clear playstyle, dominating the time of possession and pushing the ball upfield quickly.
At the end of the first period, Beck got another opportunity on a penalty corner and took advantage for her second goal of the game, another far post finish, this time from the right side. The Pride jumped out to a 2-0 lead quickly and did not give the Warriors many chances to come back.
Five minutes into the second period, a whirlwind of substitutions highlighted Olsen’s philosophy of consistently getting fresh legs into the game – 25 players saw the field for the Pride.
“I think just keeping the confidence up, subbing pretty quick so we have fresh legs and we’re fast out there,” Olsen said.
First-year Natalie Gower played some standout defense in the first half, leading to very few chances for the Warriors to score in their six shots taken.
“I think our defense is really veteran if you look into the personnel,” Olsen said. “It’s two seniors and then a junior and a sophomore who plays a lot a first year who we just added in and then our goalie’s a senior as well. They gel really nice together.”
The consistent defensive plays led to many Springfield scoring opportunities, but no goals in the second period gave the Pride a comfortable 2-0 lead heading into halftime. The Warriors finally got a shot on goal off of a penalty corner in the opening minutes of the third period, but goaltender Neilee Hess made back-to-back saves to stifle the Warrior’s attack.
With six minutes left in the quarter, Nicolette Morlock found senior defender Molly Collins off a penalty corner. Collins scored a beautiful chip goal that was impressively lofted over Eastern goalie Kiana Webster from over 10 yards out.
In the beginning of the fourth period, Beck got another opportunity off a penalty corner, and took advantage to complete her hat trick and score the third of such shot for Springfield.
Juniors Audrey Hayes and Sarah Healy linked up to score the Pride’s fifth and final goal of the night, with Hayes poking her shot past a diving Webster.
“I think we cracked the door open on Saturday by winning 1-0, and we needed a game to fully push the door open and I think this gave us that confidence to move into the next game,” Olsen said. “We still have a few games before we get to conference play, which is good to be able to work out some of the kinks still.”
The Pride play their next game at home on Thursday, Sept. 12 against Worcester State, and they begin conference play on Sept. 21 against Salve Regina.
(Photo by Ella Travaglino/Springfield Athletics)