WPI Rallies Past Field Hockey, 3-1

CHICOPEE, Mass. – Elms College junior forward Jaclyn Soderquist (Enfield, Conn.) scored in the 24^th minute of play, but Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) used three second half goals to stake a 3-1 victory over the Blazers in Saturday afternoon's non-conference field hockey game at Leary Field.

With the loss, Elms moves to 4-12 overall, while WPI improves to 6-7 on the season.

Despite WPI edging the Blazers in shots, 8-7 through the first half of play, Elms notched an early 1-0 lead when Soderquist delivered a marker in the 24^th minute of action.

In the second half, the Engineers erupted for three goals in 4:09 started off by Grace Davis's (Sandwich Mass.) score at the 51:05 mark. Mary-Lee Barboza (Rochester, Mass.) added a goal at the 54:49 mark and Caroline Mazzola (Harvard, Mass.) cashed in at the 55:14 spot to give WPI a 3-1 lead. Shannon Rice (Bath, Maine) assisted Mazzola's strike for the Engineers.

Elms' sophomore goalkeeper Samantha Alvino (Holtsville, N.Y.) made 11 saves including nine in the second half, while junior defender Ashley Reid (Enfield, Conn.) added a defensive stop for the Blazers.

WPI starting goalkeeper Lauren Puishys (Oxford, Mass.) made two saves in the first half of action and allowed the Blazers' goal, while Liz Dufresne (Worcester, Mass.) picked up the win and didn't need to make a save in the second stanza.

Mazzola fired five shots on goal, while Libbi Richardson (Uxbridge, Mass.) notched three shots on target in the winning effort for the Engineers.

Elms returns to conference action on Tuesday, October 22 when it hosts Daniel Webster College at 4:00 p.m. at Leary Field.