BOSTON, Mass. -- Simmons goalkeeper Brianna Rastello (Salem, N.H.) made a career and season-high 23 saves in the Sharks 4-0 loss to the Mount Holyoke College Lyons Wednesday evening in non-conference field hockey action.
Mount Holyoke (6-0) junior Diana Banmann tested Rastello early, registering three shots in the opening two minutes of the game. The Lyons kept up the pressure with a corner and a flurry of shots by Kirsten Kilburn, Charlotte Wagner and Banmann. The Sharks defense of Alexia Malone Oliver (Bristol, R.I.), Avery Hines (Newburyport, Mass.) blocked shots by Sarah LaQuerre and Banmann before Robin Powell (Richmond, Vt.) cleared the ball from the Sharks zone.
Simmons (5-2) transitioned down the field and Jenna Gagnon (Waterville, Maine) recorded the Sharks first shot but it was blocked by a Lyons defender. First year Mary Neidhardt (Middlefield, Conn.) tested Lyons keeper Liz DiCesare twice but was denied. Simmons had their best opportunity of the half off a corner at 15:48, but Seneca Martensson's (East Longmeadow, Mass.) shot was blocked.
The Lyons broke the tie at 22:24 into the first half as Banmann collected a rebound off a shot by Julia Bell and beat Rastello stick side. Mount Holyoke had three corners and eight shots in last ten minutes of the game but the Sharks defense kept their composure and defended the offensive attack to enter halftime down by one.
In the second half, Banmann tallied her second goal of the game off a rebound by Wagner at 50:01 before Wagner found the back of the net herself just two minutes later for a 3-0 Lyons lead. Mount Holyoke added their final goal off a corner and tip in by Jessica Taylor.
With seven minutes remaining, Simmons junior Kelly Williamson (Natick, Mass.) sent a point-blank shot at Lyons net but goalkeeper Mariesa Mazzone made the stop. The Sharks were awarded corner but shots by Cronin and Williamson were blocked. Neidhardt took the Sharks final shot of the game with less than a minute to play but Mazzone was there to complete the shut out.
Mount Holyoke held a 43-8 advantage in shots and a 12-3 advantage in corners. DiCesare and Mazzone combined for four saves for the Lyons.
The Sharks return to the field on Saturday, Sep. 21 in the opening of North Atlantic Conference play when they host Saint Joseph's College of Maine at 12:00 PM.