COUGARS TOO MUCH FOR PRIDE IN 8-3 SETBACK

WORCESTER, Mass. – Behind five different goal scorers, including another hat trick from All-American Mel Melkonian (Worcester, Mass.), host Clark University ran its winning streak to three straight games posting a convincing 8-3 win over Regis College in non-league field hockey action on Saturday afternoon.

Melkonian recorded her 21st career game with three goals or more, including her third straight and sixth of the season. In the process she became just the sixth player in Division III history record 100 career goals. 59 games into her collegiate career, Melkonian now has 230 career points, good for ninth on the all-time Division three scoring list.

The scoring started almost immediately for the Cougars (6-3) as Melkonian converted a penalty stroke less than three minutes into the game. She added another a little more than five minutes later when she took a feed from Madeleine Lutts (Salem, Mass.) at 8:49. Melkonian then reversed roles and set up freshman Sarah Cramer (Wynnewood, Pa.) for her first career score at 14:47.

Another freshman, Kelly Hart (Oak Park, Ill.), who scored the first two goals of her career in Thursday's win over Western New England, added the first of her two goals in this game at 24:42 with help from Lutts. Talia Fish (Philadelphia, Pa.) was the next Cougar to get on the scoreboard with an unassisted tally to close out the scoring in the first half.

Down 5-0, the Pride scored their first goal on a Laurie DeMars (Maynard, Mass.) marker on an assist from Stacy Burns (Waltham, Mass.).

Less than two minutes later Melkonian was at it again using some excellent stickhandling to record her third goal of the afternoon.

Regis refused to go away, as Becka Sarson (York, Maine) set up Yasmine Akib (Everett, Mass.), cutting the Clark edge to 6-2.

Lutts pushed the lead to 7-2 with her career-best 12th goal, but DeMars and Devan Wirtanen (Westminster, Mass.) teamed up for DeMars' second of the day at 63:02.

Melkonian put the cap on her eight-point afternoon with and assist on Hart's fourth of the season at 65:41.

Raegan Heck (Phillipston, Mass.) was fantastic in goal for the Pride, turning back 18 shots. Jordannah Saunders (Scarborough, Maine), meanwhile made five saves for the Cougars to get her sixth win of the season.

Clark, which has outscored its opponents 20-6 during their win streak, returns to NEWMAC play with a home contest against Babson College on Tuesday. The Pride will host Salve Regina on Wednesday in search of their first win.

Release courtesy of Clark University Sports Information