WESTON, Mass. – The Regis (Mass.) field hockey team honored its seniors on Tuesday night but weren't able to come away with the win, falling 3-2 in overtime to Wheelock in a pivotal New England Collegiate Conference contest at Regis Stadium. The loss was just the Pride's second in league play with both coming at home in overtime.
The loss drops Regis (9-7, 7-2 NECC) into a tie with Elms for the top spot in the NECC, setting up a showdown with the Blazers on Saturday in the regular season finale for both teams. The win for Wheelock secures a home game to open the conference tournament.
All four regulation goals occurred within eight minutes apart from each other in the first half. Kelsey Morton (South Portland, Maine) opened the scoring in the 27th minute, taking a pass from Alycia LeConche (Simsbury, Conn.) on the left side and finishing past Alicia Hubbard (Chicago, Ill.) for the game's opening goal. Ashley Chipman (Stoughton, Mass.) scored one minute and a half later when she put home a rebound off a Hubbard save to give the Pride a 2-0 lead.
The Wildcats (6-9, 5-3 NECC) gave Regis a taste of its own medicine, scoring a pair of goals 11 seconds apart near the close of the first half. Emma Panto (Somers, Conn.) sliced the lead in half with a goal in the 34th minute and moments later Katie Frade (Dartmouth, Mass.) scored off a rebound and in the blink of an eye it was a tie ball game.
Both teams had opportunities for second half goals but it were the Wildcats that won the game with a sudden victory goal just over the midway point of the first overtime. Panto was played in behind the Pride defense and although Pride goalie Maresa Malcolm (Barrington, N.J.) was able to stuff her first attempt, Panto stayed with it and finished the job to give Wheelock the win.
Hubbard made four saves on the evening and Malcolm, despite the losing effort, had a solid game with nine saves.
Regis and Elms will square off on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 12:00 p.m. with Wheelock playing the same day against Bay Path at 7:00 p.m.
#RegisFH