PRIDE LEAD EARLY, BUT FALL TO MUSTANGS

WESTON, Mass. – Regis College scored the first two goals of the game, but Mount Ida College rattled off six-straight as the Mustangs defeated the Pride, 6-2, in non-conference field hockey action on Wednesday night in Weston, Mass. Mount Ida moves to 4-6 on the year, while the Pride fall to 2-9.

Kelsey Morton (South Portland, Maine) opened the scoring for the Pride in the opening five minutes of action as she tapped home a blast off the stick of Ashley Ryan (Mashpee, Mass.) to give Regis an early 1-0 lead. Sashae Walls (Everett, Mass.) extended the lead to 2-0 when she forced a turnover inside the circle, turned to her left, and fired on net for her fourth goal of the season.

Sashae Walls moves up in the record books in career points as she is now in fifth place all-time in program history with 43 career points.

The Pride kept up the pressure, taking three more shots over the next 10 minutes, but could not find the back of the net.

In the 32nd minute, Mount Ida gained possession and earned a penalty corner. On the ensuing play, Cregan Callahan (Diamond Point, N.Y.) received the entry pass and swung the ball to Lexi Minicucci (Westfield, Mass.), who fired the ball opposite post and found the back of the net to make it a 2-1 game.

The game entered the half 2-1, but it would not stay that way for long, as Minicucci recorded her second tally of the game only one minute into the second period, using a give-and-go with Ashley Tice (South Berwick, Maine) to tie the game at 2-2. This time Mount Ida turned up the pressure, taking four corners and five shots over the next seven-plus minutes.

The Mustangs pulled ahead in the 45th minute following a penalty corner as Minicucci fired the ball into the circle. The ball deflected off a Regis defender and right to the stick of Emily Salls (Springvale, Maine) and she buried the open goal for the 3-2 lead.

The Mustangs would score three more goals over the next five minutes to take a commanding 6-2 lead. Hayley Napier (Fairhaven, Mass.) would score twice and Ashley Tice would add a goal of her own in the half.

Regis had several chances in the final 20 minutes of action, but could not get past the Mount Ida keeper, Brenna Santos (East Falmouth, Mass.). Yasmine Akib (Everett, Mass.), Walls, Hailee Forest (Amherst, N.H.), Laurie DeMars (Maynard, Mass.), Jenna Casello (Westborough, Mass.) and Morton all took shots on Santos, but she was up to the task, ending the game with 10 saves on the night for her fourth win.

Regis held a 20-18 advantage in shots and also had a 12-9 edge in penalty corners. Raegan Heck (Phillipston, Mass.) made six saves for Regis in the setback, with Maresa Malcolm (Barrington, N.J.) finishing off the final 23:46 of action.

Regis hopes to snap a four game skid on Saturday afternoon when they return to New England Collegiate Conference action against Wheelock College at 1:30 p.m. in Weston, Mass. Mount Ida travels to St. Joseph's College of Maine on Saturday for a 12:00 p.m. GNAC contest.