DUDLEY, Mass. (10/14/2025) – The Nichols field hockey team dropped a competitive 5-2 decision to non-conference WestConn on Tuesday night at Vendetti Field.
The home setback moves the Bison to 2-12 (0-5 CNE) overall, while the Wolves improve to 5-7 (1-2 LEC).
The Wolves were on the prowl early in the first with a series of penalty corners opportunities, but none of which yielded the game's first goal. Despite the early momentum from the visitors, the Bison would be the ones to open the scoring as
Merle Steinau sent a short pass over to senior
Taylor Breen, who fired it into the back of the cage from up high for her third score of the season. However, WestConn wasted no time in notching the equalizer, tying the game at 1-1 at the 10:01 mark of the quarter.
Play continued through the majority of a closely contested second quarter, with neither side budging from their 1-1 stalemate. Then, with just 1:02 left to play in the half, the Wolves jumped into the lead following a deflection goal on the doorstep that found its way past starting goalkeeper
Fallyn Belisle, giving the guests a 2-1 edge at the break.
In the third, Nichols continued to put up a fight with
Sofia Calabro's fourth strike of the season, which she delivered just 2:48 into the quarter off a cross-crease pass by freshman
Lily Gibson, knotting the game up at 2-2. To make it interesting, the Wolves responded in the 43
rd minute to reclaim the lead at 3-2, which they would not relinquish the remainder of the game.
WestConn went on to score twice more in the fourth, completing their 5-2 victory over the Bison.
Belisle (0-4) took the loss as the starter for the Bison, registering four saves. Freshman
Jessa Altemose also saw some time in net, playing the final quarter and making one stop.
The Chargers hit the road once again on Saturday, October 18
th as they face the University of Hartford in CNE play at 12:00 PM at Al-Marzook Field.
