Newton, MA— The Lasell College field hockey squad blanked visiting Eastern Connecticut State University, 1-0, on Tuesday afternoon at Grellier Field. Katelyn Fabri (Fairfield, CT) slipped in the deciding goal which halted a four game skid for the Lasers, who bump their record to 5-9, while the Warriors drop to 3-10.
The teams battled out the first 12 minutes of the contest without one shot getting taken due to the defense in both back fields offsetting all offensive opportunities. Hannah Cebry (Burlington, CT) took the first shot of the game after Hillary Joseph (Cranford, NJ) managed a breakaway down the left field and Cebry sprinted along side down the center line. Cebry would ultimately connect on the pass from Joseph and released a high attempt but Warrior goaltender Tia Mucciarone (Franklin, MA) made the stop.
Tia Pratt (Oxford Hills, ME) then had a close-call at 20:13 when she crossed in front of the Warriors net and turned and fired to inside the right post, however, Mucciarone was there to once again block the go-ahead goal.
It was at 24:50, that Melanie Proud (Wall Township, NJ) took Eastern's first shot but it was wide of the target.
Fabri's game-changer came at 26:59, tipping in a long shot from Pratt who had launched from just inside the shooting arc, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead.
The rest of the period passed without a change in score. Lasell had six shots to Eastern's one at the half.
The final 35 minutes of the contest was much more even as Eastern closed the gap in shooting, taking seven shots as compared to Lasell's eight, while both teams recorded five penalty corners. Mucciarone was credited with seven saves in the contest and Lasell's goalie Christine Thornton (Canton, MA) secured her second shutout of the season with one stop in the cage.
Lasell's senior defender Kristin Moran (Bedford, NH) also picked up a defensive save in the 67th minute of the contest when Eastern's Ashley Del Vecchio (Fairfield, CT) took a shot which Moran cleared out before it crossed the goal line.
Lasell returns to North Atlantic Conference action on Saturday, October 16th when they travel to Husson University for a 12:00 p.m. game. Eastern is back in action at Salem State University on the same date and time.