Field Hockey Overpowered by Western Connecticut

DANBURY, CT — Senior Jenny Cappello (Litchfield, CT) scored three goals to record a hat trick and lead the Western Connecticut State University field hockey team to an 11-0 victory over the visitors from Elms College Fridayevening at the Westside Athletic Complex.

Scoring twice each for the Colonials were sophomore Greta McConnell (Nowalk, CT) and senior Heidi Odenwaelder (Goshen, CT), while junior Tatum Seaver (North Haven, CT), junior Hannah Stewart (Bethel, CT), senior Caitlin Ogrizovich (New Fairfield, CT), and sophomore Aaroshi Chokski (Naugatuck, CT) each scored once.  Senior Kristy Matasavage (Middlebury, CT) led the Colonials with three assists.

Western wasted little time getting the scoring started with a goal by Cappello in the fourth minute, and two minutes later Seaver extended the Western lead to 2-0 when she redirected a pass from Hannah Stewart past the Elms keeper. 

With just under 10 minutes played, Odenwaelder pushed the Western advantage to 3-0.  The Western defense denied the Elms offense any scoring chances until the final second of the first half, and took a 3-0 lead into the locker room at intermission. 

With just over five minutes played in the second half, Cappello got her second goal of the game with a blast from just inside the arc on a corner play that was taken by Matasavage

Two minutes later, McConnell extended the Western lead to 5-0 when she deflected a hard pass from Odenwaelder into the back of the net.

One minute later, at the 43:08 mark, McConnell returned the favor, passing to Odenwaelder who put the Colonials up by the comfortable margin of 6-0. 

With 15 minutes remaining, Chokshi scored for a 7-0 Western lead, and Cappello earned a hat trick two minutes later with her third goal of the game.

Ogrizovich, Stewart, and McConnell each scored in the final ten minutes to make Western's final margin of victory 11-0. 

For the game, Western held a 22-4 advantage in shots and also had a 14-2 edge in penalty corners.  Western's junior keeper Kristy Trotta (Danbury, CT) made 1 save, before giving way to senior Kaeley DeNegre (North Branford, CT) midway through the second half.  Freshman Jillian Lapponese (Enfield, CT) made 6 saves in a losing effort for Elms College. 

With the win, Western improves to 1-1 on the season, while Elms College falls to 0-2.  The Colonials return to action on Tuesday, September 8, when they travel to play Ramapo College.  Game time is slated for 4:00pm.