Pride Come Up Short in Opening Day Loss to Wheaton

WESTON, Mass. - The Regis (Mass.) women's field hockey team jumped out to an early lead in Friday afternoon's season opener against Wheaton, but were unable to hang on, dropping a 3-1 decision.

Sophomore midfielder Aineen Callahan (Diamond Point, N.Y.) got the Pride's 2016 season started off in style, when she scored on a breakaway 3:23 into the game to give the Pride a 1-0 lead early. Senior Jenna Casello (Westborough, Mass.) found Callahan streaking down the center of the field and fed her a perfect pass to earn her first assist of the season.

Regis held the lead for the majority of the first half, until Wheaton sophomore forward JoAnn Bourgoin (Winslow, Maine) scored on a rebound to tie the game with 5:46 remaining in the half. The goal was Bourgoin's first of the season and sent the teams to the half even at 1-1.

The second goal of the season from Amelia Gage (Lebanon, N.H.) gave Wheaton a lead under three minutes into the second half. After a mad scramble in front of the net, junior forward Kelsey Buckley (Gilford, N.H.) chipped one over to Gage, who fired it into the net past Regis goalie Maresa Malcolm (Barrington, N.J.). Buckley added a tally of her own in the 49th minute to give the Lyons some insurance, deflecting a Bourgoin shot into the cage for the game's final goal. 

Despite the loss, Malcolm turned in a solid goaltending performance, making nine saves. Her most impressive was a diving, desperation stop on what appeared to be a sure goal by Wheaton's Karin Dion (Cumberland, R.I.) in the first half.

With the loss, the Pride drops to 0-1 on the young season, while the Lyons improve to 1-1.

The Pride will return to action next Wednesday, Sept. 7 when they travel to Colby-Sawyer College to take on the Chargers at 4:00 p.m. The Lyons next take the field on Tuesday, Sept. 6 against Roger Williams.

#RegisFH