BOSTON, Mass. -- The Simmons University field hockey team was defeated by visiting Lasell College, 3-0, today in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action at Daly Field in Brighton, Mass. The Sharks fall to 2-4 overall and 0-1 in league play, while the Lasers improve to 3-3 and 2-0.
Lasell owned a 12-7 shot advantage, while Simmons held a 6-5 edge on penalty corners.
The Lasers scored a pair of goals within the first 16 minutes of play. Junior forward Sam Taylor (Hanover, Mass.) rifled a shot off the Sharks keeper during a penalty corner opportunity, before senior back Riley Musial (Clinton, Conn.) finished with a rebound shot that found the back of the cage for her first collegiate score and a 1-0 Lasell lead with 21:53 left in the opening period. The Lasers added to their lead, just over two minutes later for a 2-0 lead. Senior forward Nikki Pignone (Ipswich, Mass.) came off the bench and found a loose ball in front of the cage, before burying a shot into the vacated left side of the cage for her third goal of the year with 19:29 to play in the half.
The lead held going into the intermission with the visitors claiming an 8-2 shot count. Simmons showed some fight in the second stanza with a 5-4 shooting edge, but Lasell scored the lone goal of the half.
Senior forward Cailin Flannery (Medford, N.J.) took a short cross from Taylor in front of the cage and scored in a scrum for her team-leading sixth marker of the season to make it 3-0 for the Lasers with 22:59 remaining in the match.
First year midfielder Emily Plummer (San Diego, Calif.) led the Sharks offensive effort with three shots.
Sophomore keeper Lucy McNamara (Brewster, Mass.) stopped a season-high eight shots for Simmons and sophomore back Abby Anderson (South Yarmouth, Mass.) registered her third defensive save of the season. First year goalie Makena Leazer (Nashua, N.H.) made six saves to record her first collegiate shutout for Lasell.
The Sharks return to action on Wednesday, September 19 when they travel to Norton, Mass. to take on Wheaton College (Mass.) for a 7:00 p.m. start, while the Lasers host New England College on September 18 at 4:00 p.m.