Field Hockey Stuns Babson, 4-3

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University field hockey team overcame a 3-1 halftime deficit as the Bears stunned visiting Babson College, 4-3, on Tuesday night in Bridgewater.

Senior forward Breanna Clement (Pittsfield, Mass.) notched her first career hat trick for the Bears who improve to 2-3 on the season.  Babson slips to 4-3 with the loss.

Clement staked Bridgewater to an early lead as she scored her first goal of the season just 1:11 into the contest off a terrific feed from junior midfielder Megan Cullinane (Lunenburg, Mass.). 

The Bears maintained the 1-0 advantage until the final six minutes of the opening stanza when Babson erupted for three goals in a span of 5:09.  Senior forward Courtney Weaving (New Preston, Conn.) tied the score as she blasted a shot from just inside the top of the circle with 5:36 remaining in the half.  Less than two minutes later, sophomore forward Morgan Lockwood (Feeding Hills, Mass.) took advantage of a BSU turnover as she scored off a rebound to give the Beavers a 2-1 lead.  Lockwood would notch her second goal of the night and team-leading tenth of the season on a penalty stroke with just 27 seconds left on the clock.

Babson held a 8-5 shot advantage over the first 35 minutes as well as a 4-1 edge in penalty corners.  The Beavers, in fact, were awarded ten penalty corners for the game compared to just three for the host Bears.  

Down 3-1 in the second half, BSU junior midfielder Shelby Farland (Fiskdale, Mass.) started the Bears' rally in the 46th minute as she raced down the left sideline and slid a pass toward the Babson goal.  Senior goaltender Jess Pashos (Winchester, Mass.) came out to kick the ball away but put it right back on the stick of Farland who fired a long shot into the unguarded net. The goal marked her first of the season.

After Babson had a goal disallowed, Clement would tie the score in the 56th minute as she deflected a Farland shot past the Babson netminder.  With the clock ticking down to under six minutes remaining, Clement tallied the game-winner as she received a pass to the middle from junior forward Beth Phillips (Worcester, Mass.) and deposited a shot into the back of the net.

The Bears, who outshot the Beavers by a 7-3 margin in the second half, did not allow any scoring chances the rest of the way to secure the comeback victory.

BSU junior goaltender Cassie Johansen (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) turned aside seven shots to post her second win of the season.  Pashos made five saves between the pipes for Babson.

Bridgewater travels to Anna Maria College on Thursday night for a seven o'clock non-conference game with the AMCATS.  Babson hosts NEWMAC foe Smith College on Saturday afternoon at 12:30.