Fitchburg State Rips Past Eastern Connecticut, 4-1

Falcons use balanced attack in second Little East victory of the season

MANSFIELD, Conn. (September 28, 2011) – The Fitchburg State field hockey team rebounded from its weekend set back this evening, defeating Eastern Connecticut State University, 4-1 in Little East Conference action at the Mansfield Sports Complex.

Fitchburg State used a balanced attack with four different Falcons registering goals in the contest. Senior Megan Jacobs (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton) opened the scoring with her team-leading 13th goal of the year just 6:30 into the game, before classmate Mari Roma (Foxborough, Mass./Foxborough) gave the Falcons a 2-0 lead with her sixth tally of the season at the 26:40 mark.

Holding a 2-0 lead at the break, Fitchburg State doubled its lead in the second half, receiving back-to-back scores from senior Kaylee Bergeron (Acushnet, Mass./New Bedford) and junior Jamie Kelley (Pepperell, Mass./North Middlesex). Bergeron collected her sixth goal of the season in the 66th minute, redirecting a shot from Jacobs to the right post, while Kelley beat the Eastern Connecticut keeper with a one-on-one breakaway.

The Warriors tallied a late goal down the stretch to  make it a 4-1 contest but a solid effort from Falcon goalkeepers Taylor Begin (Haverhill, Mass./Haverhill) and Rachel Mays (Somerset, Mass./Somerset) gave Fitchburg State its second league victory of the year. Begin worked the first 35 minutes of the game, totaling one save in the win, while Mays wrapped up the contest with three stops in the second half.

Fitchburg State dominated all fronts in the contest, ripping a 24-5 advantage in shots, including a 14-1 margin in the first half. The Falcons finished 18 attempts on net, while gathering a game-high 14 penalty corners.

Fitchburg State (5-4, 2-2 LEC) will be back in action on Saturday as it travels to Framingham State at 2 p.m. Eastern Connecticut (1-8, 0-4 LEC) will host Plymouth State University on Saturday at 1 p.m.