DiNapoli scored a goal and picked up an assist in NEC's win over MIT on Saturday.
Balanced scoring lifts Pilgrims past Engineers
The New England College Field Hockey Team opened their 2008 campaign with a 5-1 win over Mass. Institute of Technology Saturday afternoon in Cambridge, Mass. Five different players scored for the Pilgrims whose balanced attack included three unassisted goals.
The two teams would battle through a scoreless opening 12 minutes before NEC senior midfielder Jodie Dresser (Keene, N.H.) would net her first goal of the season off a crisp pass from sophomore Heather DiNapoli (Concord, N.H.) NEC would go on to net three goals in the final 13 minutes of the opening half, including unassisted goals by DiNapoli and junior Ashley Simula (Bridgewater, N.H.) The Pilgrim defense would come up huge as well in the first half holding MIT to just one shot on goal as NEC would head into halftime up 4-0.
Sophomore Marisa Ayotte (Feeding Hills, Mass.) would extend the Pilgrim lead to 5-0 scoring just three minutes into the second half. MIT would get on the board as Virginia Nicholson would score her first goal of the season with just under 10 minutes remaining in regulation. MIT would battle back gathering 11 second half shots but Pilgrim keeper Mary Roux (Auburn, Mass.) would make seven second half saves to help the Pilgrims to the 5-1 victory.
Roux picked up the win in net for the Pilgrims finishing the afternoon with eight saves.
