BOSTON, Mass. – Four different players scored for the Simmons College field hockey team in a 4-2 victory over visiting Smith College this evening at Winsor Field in Boston, Mass. The Sharks win their second straight match to improve to 6-4 on the season, while the Pioneers fall to 1-7 overall. 

Simmons sophomore midfielder Robin Powell (Richmond, Vt.) took a short cross from first year forward Julie Saltamartini (East Hampstead, N.H.) inside the box and sent a shot into the left corner of the cage just 2:38 into the opening half for a 1-0 edge. The marker was the first collegiate score for Powell. Smith wasted no time with the equalizer just 44 seconds later as first year forward Amanda Lavond (Campbell, Calif.) took a shot in traffic in front of the cage that resulted in her first collegiate goal. Lavond struck again with another scoring chance in front of the cage to give the visitors a 2-1 lead at the 20:29 mark of the first half. The Sharks knotted the score at 2-2 when first year forward Samantha Rondeau (Franklin, Mass.) put a feed into the left slot and onto the stick of sophomore forward Mary Neidhardt (Middlefield, Conn.) for her second goal of the year at 26:17. The score remained tied at the intermission. 

The Simmons defense shut out Smith in the second half, while the offense put two more goals on the board. Saltamartini gave the Sharks the lead for good when she carried the ball into the box and fired a shot that found its way just between the keeper and the right post for a 3-2 margin and her team-high seventh goal of the year at 44:14. Sophomore midfielder Amy Wilson (Falmouth, Mass.) provided the home team with an insurance goal when she converted a penalty stroke for her first tally of the season with just 4:53 left in the match. 

Sophomore goalie Brianna Rastello (Salem, N.H.) made three saves to earn the victory for Simmons, while first year keeper Cameo Tietje (Massapequa, N.Y.) turned away three shots for the Pioneers. 

The Sharks will be in action again on Saturday, October 4 when they travel to Providence, R.I. to take on Great Northeast Athletic Conference foe Johnson & Wales University at 1:00 p.m., while Smith heads to Wellesley, Mass. on the same day to play Wellesley College at 12:00 p.m.