Field hockey overpowers New England College in 7-0 win

The day started out dark and rainy, but the sun came out in time for the field hockey team’s home game on Sept. 5. The Blue started strong and kept up the momentum, winning 7-0. Captain Emily Lewis ’13 scored a hat-trick in the first half of the game. Captain Allison Robbins ’13 and Olivia Dumont ’15 each added an additional goal in the first half. Allie Farber ’15 and Lallie Lukens ’15 chipped in one each in the second.

Wellesley dominated the first half with five goals, keeping possession away from New England. There were extended moments of play that demonstrated the superior technique and teamwork of the Blue. Captains Lewis and Robbins cited their intense training as part of the reason for their success. “We all work very hard during practice to execute well in games. We were very pleased our hard work paid off,” Lewis said. Indeed, the Blue barely slowed down throughout the first half. The Pilgrims could hardly make it onto Wellesley’s half of the field and when they did were kept out by Wellesley’s able defending. 

In the second half, New England College came out strong, earning three quick penalty corners. They were unable to convert. Throughout the half they took the game to the Blue, giving the defense a workout and forcing second half goalkeeper Becky Hamilton ’15 to come out of her goal and dive to full stretch to bat away the ball. Despite aggressive defense by New England, Wellesley scored twice more. As the minutes of the game ticked by, the Blue was able to rotate through its roster of players, allowing rest for the starters and game time for the less experienced players.

The game drew only a small crowd, and there were as many New England College supporters as Wellesley ones. 

Wellesley was a class act, playing cleanly and fairly. The Blue showed restraint, demonstrated good sportsmanship and did exactly what they needed to do to dominate the entire game. While it’s still early on in the season, the team hopes this momentum will continue. The Blue made it to the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) tournament last year and look to advance in the tournament this year. “[We’re] looking forward to the rest of the season and being successful in NEWMAC play,” Robbins said.

Wellesley is now 3-0 on the season with a victory against Ithaca on Saturday. Their next home game is at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 12. Schedules for all Wellesley Athletics teams can be found on the Wellesley Athletics website.