MANSFIELD, Conn. – After being shut out in the first two matches in the all-time series against Mount Holyoke College, the Eastern Connecticut State University field hockey team broke through and led twice before the Lyons scored the only two goals of the second half in a 3-2 non-conference victory over the Warriors Thursday evening at Rick McCarthy Field.
Mount Holyoke (4-2) twice erased one-goal deficits, with senior midfielder Laurissa Montigny scoring the tying goal on a penalty stroke midway through the third quarter and then assisting on the go-ahead goal that proved to be the game-winner 1:16 into the fourth quarter that vaulted the Lyons to their third straight victory.
Senior goalie Leah Manning was inserted in goal with Mount Holyoke trailing 2-1 midway through the second quarter and stopped four shots in shutting out the Warriors the rest of the way and earning her first decision of the season in her fourth appearance.
Soon after Eastern sophomore goalie
Hannah Jalowiec (Cheshire) stopped three shots from in close by Ashley Scott (two) and Scout Climie, the Lyons were awarded a penalty stroke when the goalie covered up the third shot. Laurissa Montigny then tied the match, 2-2, for the visitors when she flicked a penalty stroke goal inside the left post past Jalowiec.
MHC finally broke the tie in the opening two minutes of the fourth quarter following a penalty corner taken by junior forward Jayonna Montigny. The corner went to the top of the circle to sophomore midfielder Anna Induni, who passed to Laurissa Montigny on her right. Laurissa Montigny sent a centering pass over the right foot of Jalowiec to an unmarked junior Sophia Guziewicz, who one-timed the shot from in close past Jalowiec, who was caught at the right post.
Eastern led twice in the match, both goals coming off penalty corners from sophomore defender
Angelina Falleni (Byram, NJ). First-year midfielder
Grace Barlage (Guilford) scored the first one – her second goal of the year -- midway through the first quarter and Falleni snapped a 1-1 tie with her first goal of the season five minutes into the second quarter. Barlage scored off a deflection on a cross into the circle by senior forward
Kaylee Drobish (Wallingford) and Falleni scored at the left post off her own rebound of a shot initially batted down by Laurissa Montigny, who was covering for Manning in goal.
The visitors had tied the game at 1-all when first-year forward Mackenzie Hillman was credited with her first career goal off a penalty corner hit in by Jayonna Montigny. Laurissa Montigny's shot directly off the corner was blocked and rolled to the top of the circle to first-year midfielder Emily Bisson. Bisson send the ball to Hillman, who, with her back to Jalowiec reached to her right to take the shot. The ball hit Jalowiec's pads, but rolled in when the goalie lost sight of the ball and accidentally kicked it backwards over the goal line.
Jalowiec made a career-high nine saves – seven in the second half. Mount Holyoke starting goalie Rachel Katzenberg stopped one shot and left with her team losing in the second quarter.
The Lyons outshot Eastern, 16-7.
Eastern visits Nichols College Tuesday at 7 p.m.
