MANSFIELD, Conn. - Senior Theresa Hendrix (Scarborough, Maine/Cheverus) broke a tie with 11 minutes left in regulation to lift the Saint Joseph's College field hockey team to a 2-1 win over Eastern Connecticut State University in the season-opener for both programs at the Mansfield Outdoor Complex on Saturday.
Each team scored off its first penalty corner of the match, and Hendrix scored the unassisted game-winner with 10:54 left to give the Monks their third win as many years over Eastern in this three-game series. Hendrix beat Eastern sophomore goalie Samantha Scavo (Redding, Conn.) from in close for the go-ahead goal. Scavo, who made seven saves, came out to cut down the angle, but Hendrix maneuvered around the sprawling keeper and sent the shot inside the right post.
Eastern had only three shots in the match but its final shot with one minute left forced SJC sophomore goalie Emma Astbury (Bridgewater, Vt.) to make her only save. Astbury kicked out a bid by Eastern sophomore Gabriela Meza (Norwalk, Conn.) with her right foot, and sophomore Elly Walker's (Scarborough, Maine) rebound shot went wide.
Scavo made consecutive saves 13 minutes into the second half to keep the game tied, turning back an attempt with a stick save on the second shot.
The Monks, 15-4 a year ago, took a quick 1-0 lead four minutes into action, with senior Effie Drew (Portland, Maine) connecting on her team's first shot. Junior Amanda Celata (Dedham, Mass.) set up the goal with a penalty corner that went to junior Meghan Williams (Greenland, N.H./St. Thomas Aquinas). Williams found Drew with a short pass.
While SJC spent most of the first half in Eastern's defensive end (allowing the Warriors only one shot), sophomore Paige Schneider (East Lyme, Conn.) netted the equalizer for Eastern three minutes shy of halftime. Junior Brianna Passero (Trumbull, Conn.) sent a penalty corner to junior Laura Chicorka (Enfield, Conn.), whose blast from the top of the circle was re-directed by Schneider at the right post for her first career goal.
With the win, Saint Joseph's improves to 9-9-1 all-time in season-opening play. The Monks have won seven consecutive season openers dating back to the 2007 campaign.
Saint Joseph's is off until Saturday, September 13th when the team plays at Rivier University (1:00 PM) in what will be the Monks' first-ever Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) contest. Eastern visits Anna Maria College Thursday (4:00 PM).
THANKS IN LARGE PART TO ECSU SPORTS INFORMATION
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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 430-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.