Field Hockey Erases Three-Goal Deficit to Post 4-3 Win Over Anna Maria

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University field hockey team battled back from a three-goal deficit to defeat visiting Anna Maria College, 4-3, on Thursday night at Swenson Field.

The host Bears improve to 8-4 on the season, while the AMCATS fall to 7-8 overall.

Trailing 3-0 in the first half, the Bears received a pair of late goals from senior forward Brittany Cullinane (Lunenburg, Mass.) and freshman forward Jacquelyn Legendre (Westport, Mass.) to cut the deficit to 3-2 at the intermission. Cullinane blasted home a shot off a failed clearance, while Legendre scored with just 46 seconds remaining as she one-timed a long pass from junior midfielder Tori O'Dea (South Dennis, Mass.).

BSU junior midfielder Janet Maher (Mansfield, Mass.) potted the equalizer in the 49th minute off a penalty corner. Maher fired home a shot from just inside the half-circle with sophomore midfielder Samantha Hayes (Norwood, Mass.) picking up the assist. The goal marked Maher's first of the season.

Just over four minutes later, Cullinane tallied the game-winner with Hayes recording her second assist of the night. Cullinane corralled a long pass to the right of the net and beat the Anna Maria keeper with a shot inside the far post. The goal marked Cullinane's team-leading 17th of the season.

Senior midfielder Kaitlyn Moran (Leicester, Mass.) tallied a pair of first half goals to help the AMCATS jump out to the 3-0 lead. Moran scored on a two-on-one break just nine minutes into the game, and recorded her team-leading 24th goal of the season in the 27th minute on a semi breakaway. Moran also assisted on senior midfielder Lauren Beauregard's (Hubbardston, Mass.) goal off a penalty corner in the 26th minute.

The Bears held a 29-12 shot advantage for the game including an 18-7 edge in the second half. Five of Bridgewater's six penalty corner attempts came in the final stanza.

BSU sophomore netminder Allison Chappell (Raynham, Mass.) made four saves to record her eighth win of the season. Junior Bryanna Tobin (Deep River, Conn.) turned aside 11 shots between the pipes for the AMCATS.

Both teams are back in action on Saturday afternoon. The Bears entertain Little East Conference rival Eastern Connecticut State University at noon, while the AMCATS travel to WPI for a 2:30 game with the Engineers.

Notes: With her two goals, Cullinane increased her career total to 34 as she moved into a tie for fourth place on the Bears' all-time goal scoring list.