Box Score DUDLEY, Mass. (Oct. 14) – Senior forward Eileen Clinton (Londonderry, N.H.) scored two goals to break the Nichols College career points record and lead Bison field hockey team to a 3-0 non-conference victory over visiting Fitchburg State at Michael J. Vendetti Field Thursday evening. Nichols improves to 11-3 overall, while Fitchburg State dips to 7-5.
Clinton came into the game with 113 career points, just two shy of previous record holder Sara Bailey '10. She tied the record in the 48th minute, and eclipsed it in the 53rd on a penalty stroke – the first of her career. Already the Bison's career assists leader with 35, Clinton now has 41 career goals, tying her for fourth on the career charts.
Nichols got on the board early off a corner set when sophomore Barbara Roy (Springfield, Mass.) passed across the netfront to MaryKate Frodema (Springfield, Mass.) for a one-timer in the 13th minute.
The Bison maintained control of the opening half, outshooting the Falcons, 12-0, but keeper Abbie Brown came up with six saves to keep the game in check, 1-0, at the break.
Sophomore Emily Widdison (Greenfield, Mass.) got a ball to the front of the net for Clinton to put in just over 12 minutes into the second half, making it 2-0 Bison, and Clinton capped the scoring with the Bison's second penalty stroke goal of the season five minutes later.
Brown finished with seven saves and three goals allowed before giving way to Rachel Mays, who was not tested through the rest of the game. Nichols starter Krista-Jean Forand (Plymouth, Mass.) played the first 64 minutes before bowing out to Emily Cornacchio (Salem, Mass.), who made one stop in the remainder of the contest.
The Nichols field hockey team donned pink socks and other insignia for the game as part of Nichols College Athletics' Think Pink campaign. Nichols College Athletics in conjunction with the Junior Bison Council is supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month by designating select fall sports events as Think Pink games. Pink awareness bracelets are being sold at all Think Pink games by members of the Council for a minimum donation of $1 and all proceeds will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. For more information about the Think Pink campaign, visit the Nichols College Athletics Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Nichols.Athletics.
The Bison are back in action on Saturday in a 1 p.m. The Commonwealth Coast Conference game at New England College. Fitchburg State hosts Plymouth State Saturday at 10 a.m. for a Little East game.
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