Wildcats Play First Varsity Field Hockey Contest
09.13.2008
Author: Ken Belbin, Assistant Director of Athletics, Daniel Webster College
Nashua– The Daniel Webster College field hockey program made its official home debut a smashing one.
Senior Emily Coole (Pepperell, Mass.) notched a hat trick and freshman Natalie Bates (North Kingstown, R.I.) added two goals and set up another as the Eagles shut out Bay Path College, 7-0 before 115 fans at Harvey Woods Field Saturday afternoon.
It was a game of more firsts for the Eagles (2-1, 1-1 NECC), as it marked their first game on home turf in their inaugural season, while they welcomed the visiting Wildcats (0-1, 0-1 NECC), who were playing their first ever varsity contest.
The Eagles controlled play from start to finish, allowing just one shot, and finished with 25-0 total shots on goal advantage.
Bay Path rookie goalkeeper Kim Amirault (Saugus, Mass.) was solid, finishing with 18 save while freshman Amy Prince (Hope Valley, R.I.) recorded her second straight shutout for the Eagles.
Sarah Steves (North Granville N.Y.) got the Eagles going 25 minutes in, redirecting a Heather Chaney (Jay, Maine) pass at the left corner of the goal, and Coole netted her first just under six minutes later for a 2-0 lead.
With time running down in the half, the Eagles drew a penalty corner. After Lexi Fontaine’s (Plymouth, Mass.) initial shot was deflected, Coole popped home the loose ball as time expired for a 3-0 lead at the break.
Coole completed the natural hat trick with her fifth of the season 7:14 into the second half, poking home a Bates rebound. Bates followed 4:31 later with a wicked 20-foot slapper that beat Amirault cleanly to make it 5-0.
Bates notched her second off a Rachel Pinto (Plymouth, Mass.) feed in the 55th and Lindsey Mello (Rutland, Mass.) closed out the scoring with her first off a Bates setup with 1:49 remaining.
The Eagles are off until Wednesday when they host Elms College at 4:30 p.m. while Bay Path plays its first ever home game next Saturday at 1:00 p.m. against Wheelock College.
