WESTON, Mass. – The Regis College field hockey team hosted New England Collegiate Conference rival Wheelock College on Saturday afternoon at a rain soaked Regis Stadium. Both teams battled through the elements, and the Wildcats came through with a 2-0 victory over the host Pride. With the win, the Wildcats end their two game losing streak and move to 2-6 on the year and earn their first NECC victory. With the loss, the Pride drop to 2-10 on the season and earn their first conference defeat.
Regis is currently on a five game losing skid and have been outscored 11-2 during the five contests.
Wheelock had the first chance on a penalty corner four minutes into the game. Sophomore midfielder Courtney Scherer (Pawcatuck, Conn.) took the chance and passed the ball off to a teammate, freshman forward Katelyn Frade (Dartmouth, Mass.). Frade ripped a shot towards the net that looked like it had a chance to get in, but Regis goaltender Raegan Heck (Phillipston, Mass.) denied the Wildcats of a goal.
The Pride had two opportunities during the first 12 minutes of play to score a goal as well. After Heck turned away Frade's shot attempt, the Pride raced down the field and set up in the Wildcats defensive zone. The ball was passed back and forth between teammates and junior forward Laurie DeMars (Maynard, Mass.) ended up with the ball on her stick. DeMars then fired the ball towards the cage, but it was cleared away by Wheelock goalie Nicole Miranda (Westbrook, Maine). A few minutes later, Ashley Ryan (Mashpee, Mass.) had a goal scoring chance but she was denied too by Miranda.
The Wildcats responded during the 25th minute with a scoring chance of their own. Courtney Scherer took a penalty corner opportunity. She passed the ball off to a teammate who then crossed it into the box to a waiting Emma Panto (Somers, Conn.). Panto then ripped a shot that was initially denied by Heck's pad, but Scherer who moved into the box after the corner chance, gobbled up the rebound and deposited a shot into the back of the cage and gave the Wildcats a late 1-0 advantage in the first half.
Regis outshot Wheelock 5-4, but the Wildcats had more corner opportunities that the Pride (5-2) during the first half.
The Crimson & Gold started off the second half by driving down into the Wildcats zone. Regis set up and tried to find the best shot possible. The ball was crossed into the box where Laurie DeMars was waiting and she put a shot on the cage, but the shot attempt was saved by Miranda. The Pride then had two consecutive corner chances but couldn't make anything out of them as the ball was cleared out and then another shot by DeMars was blocked by a Wildcats defender.
The Pride had another corner chance during the 62nd minute, Sashae Walls (Everett, Mass.) took the corner but again nothing could come out of it for Regis as no shots were attempted. The Wildcats cleared the threat and sent a through ball to junior midfielder Elizabeth Cooper (Mansfield, Mass.) who stayed onside and split past the Regis defense. Cooper had a one-on-one chance against Heck and capitalized on her chance, burying a shot into the top right corner of the cage. Cooper's goal increased the Wildcats lead to 2-0.
Regis had one last chance in the waning minutes off another penalty corner but Sam Anderson's (Sandwich, Mass.) shot was saved by Miranda.
Wheelock was outshot 11-9 by Regis and both squads earned seven penalty corner opportunities. Raegan Heck made five saves on the afternoon; Nicole Miranda earned her second win of the season and first career collegiate shutout. Miranda made eight saves during the victory.
Regis travels to Paxton, Mass. on Wednesday night, October 15 when they take on Anna Maria College in a non-conference matchup with game-time slated for 6:00 p.m, while Wheelock heads home and hosts conference foe Daniel Webster College on Saturday October, 18th at 2:00 p.m.