FITCHBURG, Mass. –  Coming off its first Little East Conference victory since 2010, the Eastern Connecticut State University field hockey team found itself with an opportunity to to even its LEC record when it visited Fitchburg State University Wednesday night.

Facing a Fitchburg (5-3, 20-2 LEC) team which had finished ninth in the 12-team conference last year, Eastern (3-5, 1-3 LECoutshot the hosts 20-13 Wednesday, but could only get one past sophomore keeper Lucy Holewa, who made 13 stops to lead the Falcons to a 3-1 victory.

The Warriors equaled their season high for shots Wednesday but it did not prevent them from dropping their fifth straight decision to Fitchburg.

Freshman Erin Morrissey  notched three points on one goal and an assist senior Jamie Kelley – fourth in the conference in goals – connected on her eight of the season, but it took  freshman Christian Armstrong's first career goal to provide breaking room for the Falcons.

After Morrissey  and Kelley lifted Fitchburg into a 2-0 halftime lead, Eastern freshman forward Hannah Keiser (Danbury) cut the Fitchburg lead in half early in the second half on a penalty stroke before the Falcons re-gained the two-goal advantage on Armstrong's goal16 minutes left.

Kelley, a third-team all-conference selection last year, unloaded eight of her team's 13 shots, with Eastern sophomore Olivia Mullen (Bethel) making five of her game total of six saves on those attempts.

Eastern  visits Plymouth State University Saturday at noon in a conference match.