MANSFIELD, CT – After splitting games at home and on the road over the weekend, Eastern Connecticut State University women's soccer (3-3-0) returned home to face Westfield State University (4-3-1) at Rick McCarthy Field on Wednesday night, dropping the match by a final score of 4-3.
 
The Warriors came into the game riding the hot foot of first-year forward Briley Harnois (Attleboro, MA) who scored her first two collegiate goals in the weekend back-to-back. Harnois wasted no time adding to her hot streak when she received a pass from junior midfielder Juliette Hogan (Preston) on the right side of the field. The first-year forward accelerated up field before cutting back towards the middle and firing a shot passed junior goalkeeper Lauryn Davis to put Eastern ahead just over a minute into the game.
 
But the lead would not last long as Westfield State would respond two and a half minutes later. Following an Eastern turnover, junior defender Jenna Hurlburt located first-year forward Delaney Parker between a sea of Warrior defenders. Parker danced around first-year defender Daria DiBiasio (Richmond, RI) and found the right side of the net to tie the match back up at one.
 
The Owls would threaten again on a corner kick when Parker sent the ball into the box which went off the head of senior forward Madi Dufries and to the foot of senior midfielder Jenn Rennich who had her shot swallowed up by senior goalkeeper Alexis Tyrrell (Torrington). Shortly before the 17^th minute, Westfield State would regain the lead when first-year midfielder Bella Parrotte's throw in went directly to Parker who lofted a ball from the left side of the field towards the net. The ball would tip off a leaping Tyrrell and near Owls' junior midfielder Marissa Jacobs and Warrior senior defender Olivia Rovalino (Simsbury) before creeping into the goal to give Westfield State the 2-1 lead.
 
But Eastern would respond in the second half when sophomore forward Ashlyn Rogers (Portsmouth, RI) looked for a shot from the left side and a handball was called on Hurlburt. Rogers would be given the penalty shot duties and slip the ball underneath the left hand of Davis to bring the score even in the 54^th minute.
However, in the 55^th minute, Westfield State would capitalize off another Warrior turnover, this time in the box following a save by Tyrrell against Delaney. Unable to clear, the ball found Rennich who navigated around Eastern's defense and placed the ball by the left side of a diving Tyrrell to regain the one-goal advantage for the Owls.
 
The Warriors would continue to put pressure on Westfield State to tie up the match for the second time in the evening. Their opportunity would come in the 67^th minute of play when first-year midfielder Dani Rovalino's (Simsbury) shot deflected off the crossbar and seconds later ended up on her foot near the top of the box. The younger Rovalino hit senior forward Carlie Dreyfus (Stafford Springs) with a pass on the right side of the box and Dreyfus rolled the ball underneath the left side of the diving Davis to pull Eastern even again.
 
With time winding down in regulation, Delaney Parker earned the third hat trick of her first collegiate season when she took the ball just before midfield and began dodging Warrior defenders. Parker continued streaking down the left sideline before letting off a shot that curved out of the reach of Tyrrell and into the far-right corner of the net. The goal would prove to be the difference maker as Westfield State would hold on for the 4-3 victory over the Warriors.
 
 In addition to her third hat trick to begin her collegiate career, Delaney Parker has now recorded three game-winning goals and six or more points in three games. The first-year forward has appeared in all eight of Westfield's games this season and is average 1.38 goals per game. She also ties Trine first-year forward Teresa Ashbrook for most goals in NCAA Division III soccer with 11 and surpasses Ashbrook for the nationwide lead in hat tricks this season.

Tyrrell made 9 saves on 13 attempts to bring her goals against average to 2.17 on the season.
 
Harnois's goal just over a minute into the match extends her goal scoring streak to three consecutive games.
 
 Eastern will head to the University of Southern Maine on Saturday at 1:00 PM to take on the Huskies in their second Little East Conference match of the season. The Warriors have won 30 of their last 32 matches against Southern Maine, including 20 consecutive matches dating back to 2000 when they lost to the Huskies in the Little East Conference Tournament.