Fast Start Puts No. 1 UConn Past Field Hockey, 8-3

AMHERST, Mass. – No. 1 nationally ranked UConn scored four times in the first seven minutes and held off a strong second half by University of Massachusetts field hockey as the Huskies claimed an 8-3 contest over the Minutewomen on Friday night at the Gladchuk Field Hockey Complex. For the second time in as many home matches, a standing room only crowd turned out to Gladchuk but the end result would not go in favor of the home squad.

UConn improves to 5-0 with the win and the Minutewomen are now 2-3 following the setback.

Freshman Chloe Hillier broke into the goal column with the first two tallies of her collegiate career, while sophomore Georgie McTear netted the other marker for the Minutewomen on a penalty corner.

In the cage, freshman Johanna von dem Borne finished the night with 13 saves and UConn's Cheyenne Sprecher recorded two of her own in the win.

After the Huskies tagged Massachusetts for four goals in the first seven minutes, UConn extended the lead to five when Abby Gooderham cleaned up a rebound in the 19th minute. UMass finally got on the board on a nicely-executed penalty corner that was inserted by redshirt junior Jamie Melley and came to graduate student Clodagh Moloney for the stop. McTear stepped up a ripped a shot over a diving Sprecher in the 26th minute.

With less than 10 seconds on the clock, Hillier gave UMass its second tally of the half. McTear gave classmate Lucy Cooper a feed into the circle and after Cooper jammed away at the ball, it came to Hillier amid a scramble in front of the cage. After playing a carom off of Sprecher, Hillier tapped the ball past the goalkeeper and watched it roll into the cage.

Hillier's second goal of the evening came in the 39th minute. Junior Antonet Louw found Cooper to begin a tic-tac-toe sequence that culminated with a nice one-timed pass to Hillier in the center of the circle. Hiller called for the ball at the penalty spot and finished the feed, moving the score to 7-3.

Amanda Collins had six points for the Huskies on two goals plus a pair of helpers. Two other players in Svea Boker and Abby Gooderham buried two goals apiece.

Massachusetts will look to get back in the win column on Sun., Sept. 9 in a 3 p.m. match against Dartmouth.

For the latest news and updates around UMass field hockey, follow the team on Facebook (UMass Field Hockey), Twitter (@UMassFH) and Instagram (@UMassFieldHockey).

Scoreboard

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Team Stats

Chloe Hillier

Georgie McTear

Lucy Cooper

Clodagh Moloney

Players Mentioned

Lucy Cooper

Chloe Hillier

Antonet Louw

Georgie McTear

Jamie Melley

Clodagh Moloney

Johanna von dem Borne

Players Mentioned

Lucy Cooper

Chloe Hillier

Antonet Louw

Georgie McTear

Jamie Melley

Clodagh Moloney

Johanna von dem Borne

Scoreboard

University of Massachusets Athletics