Box Score DUDLEY, Mass. (Sept. 21) – The duo of Caitlin Mackey and Kimberly Barker combined for both goals as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology field hockey team edged host Nichols, 2-1, in a non-conference victory on Vendetti Field Wednesday evening. The Engineers improve to 7-2 overall while Nichols dips to 4-2.

MIT used a pressure-filled second half to break a 1-1 halftime stalemate, peppering Nichols goalkeeper Molly Melanson with 10 shots in the frame. Mackey and Barker connected on their second score of the night just over two minutes into the second stanza before holding on for the win.

Chelsea Correia opened the scoring early in the tilt with a shot from the left post just 5:15 into the contest. Lauren Correia started the sequence, finding Barbara Roy in the circle for a sweeping pass to Chelsea Correia and the tally.

Mackey netted her first goal of the night just prior to the midpoint of the opening half, as Barker slipped her the ball past Melanson, setting up Mackey for an open shot on the right side of the cage at 14:33.

MIT pressed late in the half, and ended the stanza with two corner opportunities, but the Nichols defense, highlighted by Jenn Townsend and Amanda Broughton pushed the ball out of play.

The Engineers carried the momentum into the second stanza, as Mackey used a strong shot from the center arc after a pass from Barker at the near side to give MIT a one-goal advantage at 47:17.

Nichols fought off a seven-minute yellow card past the midpoint of the second half, and had a breakaway opportunity just after returning to full strength.

Melanson made 12 saves in the game, while Casey Landry stopped four shots in the win.

There were 23 combined penalty corners in the game – 11 for the Engineers and 12 for the Bison; 14 combined came in the second half.

Nichols returns to action on Saturday in a 1 p.m. Commonwealth Coast Conference game at Endicott. MIT hosts Springfield College Saturday in a 1:30 p.m. NEWMAC contest.


Box Score