Box Score MANSFIELD, Conn. – An upset of monumental proportions had to be the dream of the Eastern Connecticut State University field hockey team and its three seniors when it faced Bridgewater State University in the final match of the season on Seniors' Day Saturday at the Mansfield Outdoor Complex.
And until the final minute of the 70-minute game, that outcome could not be ruled out.
Facing the Little East Conference's most potent offense in Bridgewater (16-2, 10-1 LEC), Eastern (6-12, 2-9 LEC) played the visitors on even terms – even getting the better of play in the first half – before the Bears finally broke through three minutes into the second half, then got a needed insurance goal inside the final minute in a 2-0 victory.
Ranked fourth in the LEC pre-season coaches' poll, Bridgewater will be the No. 2 tournament seed behind UMass Dartmouth (the Bears' only LEC loss). Eastern misses the playoffs -- which include the top eight teams in the 12-team conference.
The conference leader in both goals (nearly four) and shots (nearly 20) per game, Bridgewater was held in check throughout the first half by Eastern's defense of senior Lauren DeLuca (South Windsor), junior Kelly Gawron (Ramsey, NJ) and Sam Rossetti (Shelton).
Bridgewater was limited to only four shots in a scoreless first half with just one forcing Eastern sophomore Olivia Mullen (Bethel) to make a saves. Conversley, Eastern totaled seven shots and forced Bridgewater junior goalie Kacie Sturgeon to kick out four of them in order to prevent the Warriors from scoring first. Sturgeon's best save with four minutes left in the first half on a drive from the right of the cage by senior forward Hannah Collier (Watertown), who was looking to split the goalie's pads.
Bridgewater junior Carissa Vizakis, her team's third-leading scorer, finally ended the stalemate three minutes into the second half with her 11th goal of the season. Mullen made consecutive saves on Vizakis and senior Beth Phillips prior to the goal. Eastern was in the process of clearing the rebound up the left side, but the ball was stolen by Bridgewater freshman Jennifer Arnold. Arnold quickly sent a crossing pass from right to left into the circle, where Vizakis was able to get enough of her stick on the ball to knock it past Mullen from in close.
Eastern had one legitimate chance to the match with 20 minutes left, but junior Morgan Osiecki's (Bethel) breakaway shot from the flank carried wide.
The Bears did not secure the win until the final minute, when freshman Emily Mosca drove a shot off a penalty corner to make it a two-goal differential with 47.6 seconds left.
Eastern freshman Hannah Keiser (Danbury) took four of Eastern's ten shots, forcing Sturgeon to made saves on three of them.
Bridgewater senior Shelby Farland and junior Demi Miskiv entered play with a combined 44 goals on 192 shots but managed only one shot each, neither of which were on net. Farland leads the LEC with 28 goals, 13 assists and 69 points, averaging just under 8.0 shots per match.
The match was the final one in the careers of DeLuca, Collier and Rochelle Normandin (South Windsor). Normandin did not appear in the final four matches of the year due to sickness.
