Box Score MIDDLETOWN, Conn. -- The Wesleyan University field hockey team scored on its only two shots of the second half off its only two penalty corners of the second half to edge Eastern Connecticut State University, 2-1, in a non-conference match Wednesday afternoon at Citrin Field.
After routing Eastern (2-2),10-2, when the teams last met five years ago, Wesleyan (2-2) trailed for the first time in this series after Eastern senior forward Hannah Keiser (Danbury) gave the Warriors the lead with 22:23 left in the match off a penalty corner from sophomore forward Alex Kallgren (Dudley, MA).
The Cardinals tied the match seven minutes later when freshman Abby Warren scored her first career goal off a corner, and senior Hannah Plappert followed with her team-leading third goal of the year with 5:50 remaining in regulation for what proved to be the game-winning goal. Sophomore Tess Iannarone inserted both successful penalty corners for her first points of the season.
Eastern dominated play with advantages of 13-4 in shots and 10-4 in penalty corners. The Warriors applied heavy pressure in the minutes leading up to Keiser's goal – the 22nd of her career which moves her into a tie for second place all-time, seven behind career leader Mo Deegan -- finally breaking through on her third straight penalty corner.
The Warriors came out of the scoreless first half applying early pressure -- earning three successive penalty corners -- but Wesleyan senior goalie Sara Grundy kicked out senior forward Brianna Passero's (Trumbull) while hugging the post. Moments after Warren evened the match for the hosts, Eastern senior midfielder Laura Chicorka (Enfield) flicked a quick shot in the middle of the circle that glanced off Grundy's pad – her sixth save of the match. With nine minutes left, junior forward MaryKate Custer (South Windsor) sent a dangerous crossing pass into the circle, that Grundy was able to kick clear as Eastern was unable to gain clean possession.
Trailing in the final minute, the Warriors made one final bid to force overtime, but Grundy denied Kallgren with a solid save with five seconds left.
Eastern junior Samantha Scavo (Redding) and sophomore Maddie LaRusso (Enfield) combined for only one save, while Grundy was forced to make seven to preserve the Wesleyan win.
Eastern hosts the University of Southern Maine in a Little East Conference match Saturday at 2 p.m.
