Leicester, Mass.- For the second time this season, freshman forward Hillary Joseph (Cranford, NJ) scored the game-winning goal, as the Lasell College field hockey team defeated Becker College, 4-2, in non-conference action on Wednesday evening.
Lasell fell behind at 7:53 into the contest when Michelle Griczika (Barre, MA) set up Brooke Cote (Fitchburg, MA) in front of the Lasers net for an early 1-0 advantage. Sara Jannuzzi (Glen, NH) looked to have a golden opportunity to even the score at 19:46 when she found Becker goalie out of position but the Hawks were saved by Cameron Rogers (Granby, CT) who picked up a spectacular defensive save.
Lasell senior midfielder Tia Pratt (Oxford Hills, ME) finally broke through the Hawk's defense to score with just three minutes remaining in the half. Pratt tore through defenders to slice a shot hard past Nakita Gosselin (Springfield, VT) between Becker's pipes. Lasell took over the lead for good just over two minutes later when Natasha Wood (White River Junction, VT) and Joseph laid way for a two-on-one situation with Gosselin. Joseph set up Wood who ripped the shot over Gosselin's right shoulder.
In the second period, Lasell scored two consecutive goals, answered only once by the hosts. Just 45 seconds into the stanza, Joseph recorded her second game-winner, and fifth goal, of the season. Joseph has scored in each of the past four games the Lasers have competed in. Wood then put the game out of reach when she rebounded her own shot and tipped in the fourth Laser goal with just 23:29 remaining to play.
Kim Mackay (Bethlehem, NH) closed the deficit to just two goals after 62 minutes of play to complete scoring.
Gosselin made three saves in the losing effort while Lasell goaltender Christine Thornton (Canton, MA) picked up a pair of saves in her fourth season victory.
The last time the lasers defeated the Hawks was in 2007, winning 3-1 at home. With the win, the Lasers overall record improves to just below .500 with a 4-5 slate, while the Hawks drop to 2-7 on the year.
Lasell returns home this weekend for back-to-back North Atlantic Conference matchups. The Lasers will host the University of Maine at Farmington on Saturday, October 2nd on Grellier field and then entertain Husson University on Sunday, October 3rd. Both games are slated to begin at 1:00 p.m.