Box Score WENHAM, Mass. – Sophomore
Katherine Cotton (Kennebunk, Maine) recorded nine saves in Nichols College's 3-0 loss at Gordon College in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) field hockey action Tuesday night at the Brighan Athletic Complex.
The win lofts the Fighting Scots to 4-6 on the season (2-2 CCC). The Bison – who were outshot 22-7 – slip to 2-6 (0-3 CCC).
Nichols tried to dictate the pace of play early in the game by forcing three penalty corners in the first eight minutes of regulation. Gordon wasn't able to clear the attempts immediately, and senior
Jenn Townsend (Wethersfield, Conn.) garnered the Bison's first good shot of the game in the eighth minute. Townsend's rip from the left side of the goal was kicked away by Shannon Hicks (Scarborough, Maine) to keep it scoreless.
Each team traded a few penalty corner chances over the next 10 minutes, but much of the play revolved around the middle of the field.
The Fighting Scots were finally able to flip the field on the Bison around the 20-minute mark of the first half as they established control in their offensive end. Grace Fabry (Escondido, Calif.) was able to split two defenders on the right side of the field in the 23rd minute after keeping in a failed clear. Fabry controlled the ball just outside the scoring arch and drove a ball toward the back post. The ball went through the zone untouched until it found the stick of Katherine Bailey (Baltimore, Md.). Bailey pushed the ball back toward the net and past Cotton.
Gordon kept up the pressure just a few minutes later when a chaotic play in front of the Nichols goal ended with another score. Bailey made the initial attempt, but was rebuffed by a Bison defender. The ball spit back out to Bailey six yards from the goal, and she quickly sent it to a wide-open Emily Allcroft (Haydenville, Mass.) at the left post for the score.
After trailing 2-0 at the break, Nichols turned up its offense at the beginning of the second half. The Bison earned four penalty corners in the first 15 minutes of the second period, but couldn't come up with a score against Hicks and the Gordon defense.
The Fighting Scots put a little more distance between the two teams in the 59th minute on a penalty corner. Karli Weiss (Perkasie, Pa.) received the pass at the top of the key and found Brittany Hawkins (Hampstead, N.H.) with her back turned to the goal just in front of the net. Hawkins took one touch and hit a wrap-around shot that found the back of the goal box.
Gordon didn't allow a shot in the final 17 minutes of play. Hicks picked up five saves in the win. Bailey Balmer (Perkasie, Pa.) picked up a big defensive save at the beginning of the second half.
Nichols returns to action on Friday at home against Western New England beginning at 5 p.m. Gordon hosts Western New England next Wednesday, October 1 at 7 p.m.?
Courtesy of Gordon sports information
