Western New England Holds Off Salve Regina, 4-3, to Earn First Win of 2018

Clark scores two more goals in triumph

NEWPORT, R.I. (September 15, 2018) – The Western New England University field hockey team picked up its first win of the season with a 4-3 victory over Salve Regina University on Saturday afternoon in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action at Gaudet Field.

Top Performers
Western New England was led by junior Jacqueline Clark (Auburn, Mass.), who scored two goals in the win. Sophomore Haley Daigneault (Longmeadow, Mass.), and freshmen Taylor Klesyk (Hamden, Conn.) chipped in offensively with one goal each.

Senior goalkeeper Dana Dufour (Gloucester, Mass.) made six saves in the cage to earn her first career victory.

Salve Regina freshman forward Eliza Timms (Agawam, Mass.) factored into all three of the Seahawks' goals, as she scored a pair herself and contributed an assist on the other.

Game Review
Timms set up junior forward Ashley Cody (Pawling, N.Y.) for the game's opening goal 6:30 into the contest. The home team's lead didn't last long, however, as Daigneault scored on a penalty corner play at the 10:43 mark with the help of assists from senior Lana Felice (Pawling, N.Y.) and junior Jessica Clifford (Auburn, Mass.).

Klesyk put the Golden Bears ahead 2-1 on a feed from Clifford in the 26^th minute, and Clark increased Western New England's lead to 3-1 with an unassisted tally just 1:31 before the half.

Early in the second period, Clark converted a penalty stroke opportunity to give the Golden Bears a 4-1 advantage that they would not relinquish.

Timms registered a pair of late goals to cut Salve Regina's deficit to one, but Western New England held on to secure the win.

Notes
• The Golden Bears outshot the Seahawks 13-9 in the first half, but Salve Regina got its offense going over the final 35 minutes, when the home team held a 9-3 advantage.
• Clark leads Western New England with five goals this season, while Daigneault ranks second with four.

Up Next
Western New England (1-4, 1-1 CCC) returns home to host Endicott on Tuesday, while Salve Regina (1-4, 0-2 CCC) travels to Gordon.