Field Hockey Extends Winning Streak to Eight with 3-1 Victory over Western Connecticut

DANBURY, Conn. -- The Bridgewater State University field hockey team scored three unanswered second-half goals, as the visiting Bears posted a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over Little East Conference rival Western Connecticut State University on Sunday afternoon at the Westside Athletic Complex.

Senior forward Demi Miskiv (Centerville, Mass.) scored a pair of goals to lead the Bears who improve to 11-2 on the season with their eighth straight win and 6-1 in the Little East.  The host Colonials fall to 4-8 overall and 1-6 in conference play.

Western got on the board first when the Colonials were awarded a penalty shot in the game's 14th minute.  Sophomore Lauren Allen (Fairfield, Conn.) converted the penalty for Western with a hard shot into the lower left corner of the goal for a 1-0 Colonial lead.

Bridgewater State's best chance to score in the opening period came with just under two minutes to play in the stanza when senior forward Carissa Vizakis (Bellingham, Mass.) took control of the ball after a scramble in front of the Western goal.  Her shot appeared headed for the back of the goal, but Western senior defender Christina Ferenz (Danbury, Conn.) managed to clear the ball inches before it crossed the goal line to preserve the Colonial lead going into intermission.

Bridgewater State got the equalizer just under nine minutes into the second half when senior midfielder Georgina Bagordo (Sparta, N.J.) received a pass from sophomore forward Jennifer Arnold (West Yarmouth, Mass.) and beat the Western keeper to tie the score at 1-1.

Seven minutes later, the Bears took their first lead of the game on Miskiv's first marker of the day off a pass from Vizakis, giving the visitors a 2-1 lead.

With just over seven minutes remaining, Western was awarded its second penalty shot of the game.  With Allen on the bench, senior Rachel Duffy (Marlton, N.J.) stepped to the line to attempt the stroke.  Her shot, however, was turned away by the left pad of BSU senior netminder Kacie Sturgeon (Dartmouth, Mass.), and the score remained 2-1 in favor of the visitors.

With two minutes remaining, Miskiv carried the ball just inside the arc to the right of the cage and fired a shot that provided Bridgewater State with its final margin of victory, 3-1.

With her two goals, Miskiv moved into a tie with Vizakis for fifth place on the BSU all-time goal scoring list.  She is also tied with Kathy McGough and Ashley Panzini for fifth place on the Bears' career scoring list.  Miskiv has 28 goals and 12 assists for 68 points in just two seasons at Bridgewater State.

For the game, Bridgewater State finished with a 14-12 advantage in shots, while also having an 8-6 edge in penalty corners.

Sturgeon made seven saves to claim the victory between the pipes for the Bears.  Western freshman keeper Kristy Trotta (Danbury, CT) finished with six saves in the losing effort.

The Colonials return to action on Wednesday when they host Manhattanville College in a non-conference matchup.  Game time is slated for 7:00pm.  The Bears host LEC foe UMass Dartmouth on Saturday at noon. UMass (10-3, 7-0 LEC) ) is tied with Keene State atop the Little East standings.