PAXTON, Mass. - Junior midfielder Amy Cronin (Georgetown, Mass.) scored the only goal of the afternoon to give the Simmons College field hockey team a 1-0 victory over host Anna Maria College today in Great Northeast Athletic Conference play in Paxton, Mass. The Sharks extend their win streak and shutout streak to three straight contests. The shutout string is the longest since at least the 2006 season. The Sharks are now 4-3 on the season, including a perfect 2-0 in GNAC play, while the AMCATS are 4-5 and 0-2.
Simmons has not allowed a goal in 210 minutes and has allowed just one marker in the last 325:55 of action.
The Sharks' game-winning goal was scored in the 14th minute. Sophomore forward Mary Neidhardt (Middlefield, Conn.) took a point-blank shot from the right side which bounced off the Anna Maria goalkeeper. The rebound landed right on Cronin's stick, before taking a commanding shot past the goalie for her third goal of the season at 13:42 of the opening half.
Simmons dominated the game offensively, outshooting the AMCATS 21-6, including 11 second-half shots. Breen had a busy day in net for the AMCATS as she totaled 13 saves.
The Sharks had another opportunity to score in the 58th minute, as first year forward Samantha Rondeau (Franklin, Mass.) took a shot that beat the Anna Maria keeper, but the AMCATS picked up a big defensive save and directed the shot out of play.
Simmons sophomore netminder Brianna Rastello (Salem, N.H.) recorded two saves on the afternoon to earn her third shutout of the year and fourth of her career. Both of Anna Maria's shots-on-goal were taken by sophomore Kaitlyn Moran (Leicester, Mass.) early in the second half. Sarah Bess (West Barnstable, Mass.) turned away 13 shots for the AMCATS on the day.
The Sharks will be in action again on Tuesday, September 23 when they travel to Norton, Mass to take on Wheaton College at 7:00 p.m., while Anna Maria also plays on September 23 for a road match in Worcester against Clark University at 7:00 p.m.