Blazers Drop Shootout At Rivier

Nashua, N.H. -- Hayley Omahen (San Diego, Calif.) scored two goals and Madison Gabel (Agawam, Mass.) added another but the Rivier University field hockey team defeated visiting Elms College, 5-3 on Thursday at Raider Field. The Blazers fall to 2-6 on the season while Rivier moves to 2-4. 

Rivier jumped out to a quick start as Jaclyn Fraser (Wilmington, Mass.) netted her first of the game, an unassisted tally in the 4^th minute. Eight minutes later Fraser helped make it a 2-0 advantage as she assisted on Maegan Sheehy's (Sabattus, Maine) first goal of the game.

Elms would strike back and cut the deficit in half when Omahen swatted home a pass from Gabel in the 27^th minute.

In the closing minutes of the first half, the Raiders were awarded a penalty stroke and freshman Lia Yohanan (Andover, N.J.) capitalized on to give Rivier a 3-1 lead at the break.

Sheehy added a second goal early in the second half before the Blazers began to charge back. Omahen netted her second goal of the game off a pass from senior Jeszenia McGuire (Brimfield, Mass.) in the 37^th minute and then the lead would be cut to 1 minutes later as Gabel smacked a loose ball into the back of the net in the 41^st minute to make the score 4-3.

A timeout by Rivier allowed the team to recover and regroup for the final 30 minutes of action. Fraser would then add an insurance goal in the 67^th minute as she knocked home a pass from senior Mikayla Ramsdell (Salem, N.H.) off a penalty corner.

Elms senior goalkeeper Jillian Lapponese (Enfield, Conn.) made three saves on the evening in the loss.

Elms will be in action on Saturday as they host Dean College in a NECC affair. Next up for the Raiders will be a Great Northeast Athletic Conference contest at Colby-Sawyer College on Saturday afternoon.