RAIDERS SCORE EARLY, HOLD OFF PRIDE

WESTON, Mass. – Regis College dropped a 2-0 decision to Rivier University on a cold and rainy Wednesday night in non-conference field hockey action in Weston, Mass. The Pride fall to 2-7 on the year, while Rivier snaps a three game losing-skid to improve to 2-8.

Marykate Sweeney (Chicopee, Mass.) scored her first two career goals to lead the Raiders, while Chelsie Hubicsak-Muldowney (Windham, N.H.) and Meredith Garcia (Newton, N.H.) picked up assists on the goals. Makenzie Flagg (Shirley, Mass.) made six saves in her second win of the season. Rivier outshot Regis at a 16-13 clip and also held an 11-10 advantage in penalty corners.

For the Pride, Jenna Casello (Westborough, Mass.) led the Pride offense with five shots, including three on goal. Ashley Ryan (Mashpee, Mass.), Sashae Walls (Everett, Mass.) and Laurie DeMars (Maynard, Mass.) took two shots apiece. Raegan Heck (Phillipston, Mass.) recorded six saves, while Genesiz Gudiel (Lawrence, Mass.) added a defensive save to lead the Regis defense.

Rivier took the first two penalty corners of the game but came away empty on both occasions. After the Raiders' fourth penalty corner of the opening minutes, Garcia blasted a shot on net that was turned away by Heck. The Pride were unable to clear the zone, however, and Hubicsak-Muldowney dribbled up the right side of the field. She blasted the ball opposite post to a waiting Sweeney who tipped the ball home to give Rivier an early 1-0 lead.

On the ensuing Regis possession, the Pride had their first chance for an equalizer as Carla Brito (New Bedford, Mass.) flipped the ball into the circle, where Sashae Walls had a shot turned away by Flagg. The rebound came out to Laurie DeMars and she tried to lift the ball over the pads of Flagg who was on the ground, but Flagg kicked the ball away and the score remained 1-0 in favor of the visitors.

Regis kept up the pressure, earning four penalty corners and taking four shots during a 10 minute stretch, but none could find the back of the net.

In the 24th minute, Sweeney gave the Raiders an insurance goal in a similar fashion to the first. This time Meredith Garcia came down the right side and played the ball opposite post. After taking two hacks at it, the ball finally crossed the line and Sweeney had her second goal of the night.

The game entered the half 2-0, but Regis almost cut the deficit in half with just over 30 minutes to play. Sashae Walls played a through ball to Laurie DeMars, who found herself one-on-one with Flagg. DeMars beat Flagg with a nifty dribble move, but her shot sailed wide of its mark and the score remained 2-0. In the 46th minute, the Pride earned a penalty corner, but shots from Casello and Walls went wide.

Regis made one final push with no time remaining earning three penalty corners, but Casello was turned away by Flagg and Ashley Ryan missed to the right to end the game.

The Pride return to action on Monday, October 6, when they travel to Colby-Sawyer College for a non-league matchup at 4:00 p.m. Rivier returns to GNAC action on Saturday with a game at Lasell at 12:00 p.m.