Box Score

DUDLEY, Mass. – Senior Emily Widdison (Greenfield, Mass.) scored her team-leading fifth goal on a penalty stroke in the first half of Nichols College's 4-3 loss to Clark (Mass.) University in non-conference field hockey action Tuesday night at vendetta Field.

Sophomore Avery Orszulak (Springfield, Mass.) and freshman Meghan Dombkowski (Sagaponack, N.Y.) also scored for the Bison, who fell to 2-2 with the loss. Senior Mel Melkonian (Worcester, Mass.) scored three goals to push her over the 200-point plateau for her career as the Cougars improved to 3-1 on the season despite being outshot 23-19 on the evening.

Clark struck for two goals in the opening 3:33 of the contest to take an early lead. Melkonian potted her ninth of the season with a slapshot off a pass from sophomore Kiah Murphy (Westport, Mass.) on a penalty corner at 2:16, followed by a goal from senior Madeleine Lutts (Salem, Mass.) from Melkonian just over one minute later.

Melkonian capped a long run down the right side of the field with her second of the night and 10^th of the season at 19:27 to extend the Cougars lead to 3-0. Widdison got the Bison on the board less than three minutes later as she tucked a shot inside the left post and past Clark junior goalie Jordannah Saunders (Scarborough, Maine).

Orszulak tallied her third of the season 2:58 into the second half to slice the Nichols deficit to one, one-timing a long pass from sophomore Kaylee McNamara (Watertown, Mass.) from the right side of the field at the left post. Melkonian picked up the hat trick at 52:42 with a hard shot from the left post to give the Cougars a two-goal cushion.

Trailing by two with under 10 minutes remaining, sophomore Jenn Townsend (Wethersfield, Conn.) send a pass to Dombkowski off a penalty corner, and the freshman's shot found its way through bodies and past Saunders to once again bring Nichols to within a goal at 4-3. The Bison received two penalty corners at the end of regulation, but both attempts to tie the game and force overtime fell short.

Saunders finished with three saves to improve to 3-1 on the season while sophomore Molly Melanson (Simsbury, Conn.) recorded five saves and moved to 1-2. Junior Amanda Broughton (Plymouth, Mass.) and freshman Victoria Utter (Stafford Springs, Conn.) each notched defensive saves for Nichols.

The Bison return to action on Thursday night with a 7 p.m. contest at Vendetti Field against Fitchburg State. The Cougars play at Springfield Friday at 6:30 pm.