BOSTON, Mass. – In their 2012 home opener, Simmons field hockey fell to the #20 MIT Engineers, 3-1 Wednesday evening at the Winsor School fields. Sharks goalkeeper Renna Smith (Belfast, Maine) posted a season-high 23 saves on the evening to keep the Sharks in the hunt until the end.

The Engineers scored just 1:03 into the first half when Kimberly Barker sent a ball across the circle for a tip in by Caitlin MacKey. The Sharks defense, led by Michaela Sangillo (Gray, Maine) and Courtney Cappadona (Foxboro, Mass.), denied MIT three consecutive corners before Molly Duffy beat Smith on the right side to double the score. The Sharks took a timeout and returned to the field focused, as they transitioned into the MIT zone and put pressure on the Engineers defense.

With less than six minutes to play in the first half, MIT sent a long ball up the middle to Molly McShane, who drilled it across the circle and found Morgan Gulliver driving to the net to put the Engineers up 3-0. The Sharks were awarded four corners in the remaining time but were unable to beat MIT goalkeeper Jenna Klein as time expired.

MIT began the second half with a quick corner, which Smith and the Sharks defense cleared outside the circle. Sharks midfielder Meghan Fay (Foxboro, Mass.) sent a ball wide to junior Monica Doucette (Rockport, Maine) on the transition as the Sharks tested Klein off shots by Courtney St. Pierre (New Bedford, Mass.) and Amy Cronin (Georgetown, Mass.). At 53:44, Simmons junior Seneca Martensson (East Longmeadow, Mass.) was awarded a penalty stroke and beat Klein on the right to put the Sharks on the scoreboard.

Seven more corners were awarded in the second half but neither team was able to capitalize as the clock wound down to zero. With the win, MIT remains undefeated at 4-0, while the Sharks fall to 0-2. Simmons returns to action at home on Saturday, September 8th at 1:00 p.m. when they face Western New England.