MANSFIELD, Conn. – Thirty-six minutes of inspired defensive field hockey evaporated in the blink of an eye as Connecticut College broke a scoreless duel by scoring three goals in a span of four minutes midway through the third quarter on the way to a 5-0 non-conference victory over Eastern Connecticut State University Tuesday evening at Rick McCarthy Field.
While Eastern (2-9-1) did spend most of the first half in its defensive end, the Warriors' defense neutralized Conn College (3-7) by beating the Camels consistently to the ball, clogging passing lanes, and clearing away potential threats throughout the first half and through the opening six minutes of the second before the visitors found their stride.
It was Eastern's starting defense in front of first-year goalie
Veronica McKenna (Wethersfield) which kept the match scoreless in the first half and through the opening minutes of the second: center backs
Morgan Anjos (Westfield, MA) and
Angelina Falleni (Byram, NJ) and wing backs
Leah Kowalasky (Middlebury) and
Emma Stearens (Medway, MA), with regular starter
Aly Kendrick (North Branford) coming off the bench for the second straight game after missing seven straight games with injury.
Senior Sydney Cresta finally broke through for Conn with an unassisted goal in the 37
th minute by scoring on the rebound of a shot by Katie Dolan to break the stalemate and teammates Kylee Quinn (38
th minute) and Maddie Mason (41
st) soon followed and the Camels eventually pulled away to defeat Eastern for the fifth straight time and send the Warriors to their sixth straight loss this year. Quinn's goal followed a penalty corner taken by Rowan Galanis, who sent the ball to McKalynn Jacobsen at the top of the circle. Quinn slid to a position to Jacobsen's right inside the circle and drove a hard shot that carried inside the right post.
Playing a brutal schedule which included seven nationally-ranked teams in its first nine games, Conn wore down the Warriors in the fourth quarter in stopping a four-game skid of its own. Mixing in 17 substitutes from a 33-person roster as compared to only five reserves for Eastern, Conn turned it into a rout by tacking on two final goals in another four-minute span in the final ten minutes.
With the game still in doubt late in the third quarter, McKenna kicked out consecutive shots from close range by senior Bridget Mason to keep the deficit at two goals, but moments later, freshman Maddie Mason was unmarked and knocked in a shot by Bridget that had ricocheted off the post that pushed Conn's lead to 3-0 through three quarters.
The goals were the first in the careers of Maddie Mason and freshman Phoebe Shane, the latter closing out the scoring with five minutes left in her second career appearance.
Conn was credited with all 17 shots that were taken in the match and recorded a 9-4 advantage in penalty corners.
Making her second (consecutive) career start, McKenna stopped five shots before departing on the short end of a 3-0 score after 45 minutes, with sophomore
Hannah Jalowiec (Cheshire) making one save in the final quarter.
Eastern looks for its first conference win after two opening losses against VTSU Castleton Saturday at Rick McCarthy Field at 11 a.m. The Spartans lead the all-time series, 5-1. The squad have exchanged 3-0 wins the last two years, Eastern losing at Castleton a year ago after winning at Eastern in 2021.
