NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (Sept.  7) – Sophomore Chelsea Correia (Seekonk, Mass.)  scored in overtime to lift the Nichols College field hockey team to a 3-2 victory at Smith Monday evening at Williston-Northampton's Sawyer Field. With the victory, Nichols improves to 2-0 while Smith falls to 0-1.

In an evenly played first half with each team taking six shots, the Pioneers took a 1-0 advantage into the half when Rebecca Capute intercepted a sideline pass and sent the ball to Phoebe Hopkins. Hopkins fed the ball to first year Nia Spoon who tallied her first collegiate goal.

The Bison took three quick shots in the early minutes of the second half but Smith keeper Margaret Winter stopped each one. With just under four minutes gone, Nichols evened the score on a high shot by MaryKate Frodema (Springfield, Mass.).  Nichols continued to dominate play in the second half but Smith scored the go-ahead goal at the 67:58 mark as Hopkins carried the ball up the field and passed it off to Capute on the right wing.  Capute crossed the ball back to Hopkins who was waiting in front of the goal and hammered home her shot.  Nichols Emily Widdison (Greenfield, Mass.) tied the game up with just 55 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime.

Nichols again dominated the overtime period and had numerous scoring opportunities including a missed penalty stroke but tallied the game winner at the 83:00 minute mark as one of Winter's saves landed at the feet of Chelsea Correia (Seekonk, Mass.) who found the back left corner of the cage.

Winter was stellar in goal for Smith as she faced 31 shots and made 16 saves while Krista-Jean Forand (Plymouth, Mass.) registered the win for Nichols with 9 saves on 16 shots.

Nichols returns to action Thursday night in a 7 p.m. home game against Westfield State. 

Story courtesy Smith Sports Information

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