WORCESTER, Mass. -- The Simmons University field hockey team was defeated by host Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 5-1, this afternoon at Alumni Stadium in Worcester, Mass. The Sharks fall to 1-3 on the season, while the Engineers improve to a perfect 4-0.

WPI controlled play for most of the match, owning a 27-7 shot advantage, despite Simmons outshooting its hosts, 4-3, in the final quarter of play. The Engineers held a 10-3 margin in penalty corners as well. 

Carly Cidado (Easton, MA) and Abby O'Sullivan (Walpole, MA) each scored a pair of goals to lead WPI.

The Engineers took a 2-0 lead with a pair of goals just 24 seconds apart late in the second quarter, before the Sharks cut the deficit in half. Sophomore forward Haley Dover (West Springfield, Mass.) made the insert pass on a penalty corner to junior midfielder Maggie Fuzak (Buffalo, N.Y.), who blasted a shot from the top of the circle that Dover re-directed into the back of the cage for her second score of the season. The marker made it a 2-1 game with 102 seconds left in the first half of play. 

After a scoreless first period, O'Sullivan redirected a shot by Emma Bennett (Hampstead, NH) into the back of the cage with 3:56 to go in the second quarter for WPI. Moments later, Paris Lopez (Smithfield, RI) entered the game to score her second career penalty stroke goal just 24 ticks later for a 2-0 Engineers advantage.

It remained 2-1 until later in the third when Cidado notched back-to-back goals for WPI. She scored with 7:45 left on the third quarter clock and at the 5:44 mark of the third period. The first was assisted by O'Sullivan while the latter was aided by Bridget Sullivan (Wilmington, MA). O'Sullivan went on to make it 5-1 for WPI just 3:18 into the fourth off a feed from Angie Ferro (Northboro, MA).

Junior keeper Lucy McNamara (Brewster, Mass.) registered a season-high 14 saves for Simmons and junior Abby Anderson (South Yarmouth, Mass.) helped the cause with her third defensive save of the season. Ali Gannon (Fremont, N.H.) stopped three shots to earn the victory for the Engineers.

The Sharks return to action on Saturday, September 14 when they open the Great Northeast Athletic Conference slate at home against Anna Maria College at 11:00 a.m. at Daly Field, while WPI hosts Elms College on the same day and time.