NEC Field Hockey Captures TCCC Championship
The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) Player of the Year Amanda Lester (Columbia, Conn.) netted three goals lifting the New England College Pilgrims over the visiting Nichols College Bison 4-2 in TCCC Championship action on Saturday in Henniker. In addition to the Pilgrims capturing their sixth straight TCCC Championship, head coach Susan Murray picked up her 200th career win as a head coach.
The Pilgrims wouldn’t waste much time getting on the board converting on an early corner attempt as first-year player Heather DiNapoli (Concord, N.H.) would score her second goal of the season assisted by Marisa Ayotte (Feeding Hills, Mass.) just 1:53 into the game. Nichols’ Brittany Case (Cambridge, N.Y.) would tie game scoring just her second goal of the season assisted by Lauren Pettoruta (Windham, N.H.) at the 12:55 mark. The two teams would settle down playing through a scoreless remainder of the first half.
The Pilgrims would convert on another penalty corner early in the second half with Amanda Lester netting her 34 goal of the season just 1:36 into the half. Lester would score two additional goals, the first was unassisted at the 42:09 mark and the second was assisted by Sarah Feugill (Derry, N.H.) at the 51:25 mark to put the Pilgrims up 4-1. Nichols’ Sara Bailey (Athol, Mass.) would score off a rebound with just over ten minutes remaining in regulation but the Pilgrim defense would shutdown the Bison in the final minutes to capture the 4-2 victory.
Picking up the win in goal for NEC was Mary Roux (Auburn, Mass.) who finished with 14 saves. In goal for Nichols College was MaryKate Bednarz (Springfield, Mass.) who finished the afternoon with 10 saves.
