Oct. 21, 2012

Box Score

MERION STATION, Pa. - The Saint Joseph's field hockey team fell to 19th-ranked Massachusetts, 5-1, on Sunday afternoon at Ellen Ryan Field. Junior Shannon McNeill tallied her first career goal for the Hawks.

Sunday also marked Senior Day, as Saint Joseph's honored its four graduating seniors - Jordan Cotter, Leigh Deininger, Meghan Githens, and Abby Hoover - in a pre-game ceremony.

Massachusetts (10-8 overall, 4-1 Atlantic 10) took the early lead 7:30 into the game as Callie Sweigart re-directed a ball off a corner play. The Minutewomen doubled their lead six minutes later as Thando Zono sent a blast into the cage after a long run.

McNeill got Saint Joseph's (4-13 overall, 1-4 Atlantic 10) on the board nine minutes into the second half. After UMass had two players whistled for leaving early on a penalty corner, sophomore Nicole Gerdes found McNeill by the far post for the junior's first collegiate goal to cut the deficit in half.

Unfortunately for the Crimson and Gray, Nicole Cordero answered for the Minutewomen two and a half minutes later, and Allie Sabia and Marisa Dunn added insurance tallies to set the final margin.

Junior goalkeeper Kate Mitchell made eight saves in the cage for the Hawks, while Hoover and freshman Eva Gekas added defensive saves. Sam Carlino got the win for UMass, making one save, while Zono added a defensive save to her goal and two assists.

The Hawks will close out the season on the road, traveling to Richmond, Virginia, to take on VCU on Friday before returning to Philadelphia for the season finale at Temple on Sunday.