Kelly Makes Ten Saves as Field Hockey Travels to No. 8 Saint Anselm
Box Score MANCHESTER, N.H. (Oct. 4, 2015) – Sophomore goalkeeper Olivia Kelly (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) finished with ten saves in the second half as the Mercy College field hockey team suffered a 4-0 setback at No. 8 Saint Anselm College on Sunday afternoon at Grappone Stadium.
The Mavericks (4-5) drop their second in a row to a nationally ranked team, while the Hawks (8-1) extend its program record-best start.
Senior Maggie Gardner (Mohawk, N.Y./Mohawk), juniors Jackie Ballin (Cupertino, Calif./Cupertino) and Jen Wandle (Rocky Point, N.Y./Rocky Point) and freshman Alicia Williams (Lake Grove, N.Y./Sachem North) each recorded a shot on goal. Kelly came in relief of freshman goalkeeper Julia Amell (Greene, N.Y./Greene) who made three saves in the first 40 minutes of action.
Saint Anselm received goals from Colleen Sears, Katie Neyland, Emma Kincaid and Anna Drakeley on the day, while goalkeeper Katherine Sears played the first 40 minutes and made three saves to pick up the win.
Mercy found itself with a tall task in facing the No. 8 team in the country and the Hawks wasted little time in showing why they are among the nation's elite as they got on the board in the 9th minute of play. Sears took a throughball from Allia Connolly on the right side and reverse swept the ball past the goalie's right side to put Saint Anselm up 1-0.
The Mavericks came right back on the attack but the Hawks goalkeeper stopped shots from Ballin and Gardner to keep it 1-0. Saint Anselm struck again in the 21st minute as Neyland took a corner insert from Mia Vecchione and fired inside the left post from the top of the circle to give the home team a 2-0 advantage.
The Hawks added goals in the 22nd and 31st minute to build a 4-0 lead heading into halftime. Saint Anselm held an 8-4 edge in shots and a 7-2 advantage in penalty corners in the first half.
The second half saw the Hawks control most of the action, owning a 15-1 shot edge in the frame, but were unable to score as Kelly came in and made ten saves in the half.
Williams recorded the Mavericks lone shot on goal of the half in the 51st minute, but Mercy was unable to get on the board and Saint Anselm emerged victorious.
Head Coach Kayte Kinsley and the Mavericks will look to rebound as they travel to St. Thomas Aquinas on Wednesday, October 7th for a 4 p.m. start time.
