HECK MAKES 25 SAVES, BUT PRIDE FALL TO FALCONS

WESTON, Mass. – The Regis College field hockey team dropped a 4-0 decision to Fitchburg State University on Thursday afternoon in non-conference action in Weston, Mass. The Pride have dropped three-straight to fall to 3-5 overall, while the Falcons improve to 4-5 with the win.

Regis goalkeeper Raegan Heck (Phillipston, Mass.) set a new career high with 25 saves in the game, surpassing her previous record of 24 saves set at Mount Holyoke College on August 31, 2013.

The Falcons struck three times in the opening frame to take a 3-0 lead into the half. Bailey Miller (Leominster, Mass.) hit Molly Richard (Leominster, Mass.) with a pass in front that Miller buried top shelf to stake the Falcons to a 1-0 lead. Richard struck again just over eight minutes later as she found herself alone at the top of the circle and laced another high shot into the top left corner of the net for a 2-0 lead.

Madeline Hoffman (Mansfield, Mass.) rounded out the scoring in the opening half as she received a pass from Casey Noonan (Feeding Hills, Mass.) on a penalty corner. Hoffman fired a blast on net that a Regis defender was able to get a stick on, however, it ricocheted directly into the back of the cage to give the Falcons a 3-0 lead.

The Pride threatened early in the second stanza as Yvonne Abate (Easton, Mass.) entered a pass to the top of the circle to Aineen Callahan (Diamond Point, N.Y.). Callahan turned and fired a backhanded shot in front of the goal that was tipped by Julie Flateau (Waltham, Mass.), but Judith Valentin (Brockton, Mass.) dropped to her knees for the save to keep Regis off the board.

Fitchburg State worked the ball deep into Regis territory on their ensuing possession, but the Pride defense stood firm and forced the ball out of play to regain possession. Allison Petillo (Sayville, N.Y.) played the long hit all the way through the Fitchburg defense and forced Valentin out of the cage to kick the ball toward the sidelines. Jenna Casello (Westborough, Mass.) intercepted the clear attempt and blasted a ball into the circle that found the stick of Abate. The freshman hit a shot for the opposite post, but it just trickled wide of its mark.

The Falcons would add one more goal in the 63rd minute as Richard completed the hat trick with a backhanded blast from the top of the circle to close out the 4-0 victory.

FSU held a 43-2 edge in shots and took all 15 penalty corners in the game. Judith Valentin picked up her fourth win of the season while making one save.

Both teams are back in action Saturday as Regis travels to Elms College for a New England Collegiate Conference championship rematch from a year ago with game time slated for 12:00 p.m. Fitchburg State hosts Bridgewater State University in a 1:30 p.m. game in Fitchburg, Mass.