Nationally-Ranked Babson Blanks Field Hockey

WORCESTER, Massachusetts – Senior Elizabeth Holmes (Southboro, MA) setup the game-winner and added a second half goal as nationally-ranked Babson defeated host WPI, 3-0, in a NEWMAC field hockey contest Saturday morning at Alumni Stadium.

The Beavers (11-0, 3-0), ranked 16th in the latest NFCHA national poll, took the 1-0 lead less than five minutes into the outing as junior Victoria Spofford (Merrimac, MA) tipped in a shot by Holmes. Following a stick stop later in the half, freshman Ashley Tango (Reading, MA) struck the ball twice before sending it to junior Kelsi McDougle (Hopedale, MA) for the close range goal at 26:19. Senior Grace Davis (Sandwich, MA) logged the only WPI (3-6, 0-3 NEWMAC) shot of the frame early in the 16th minute.

After junior Allie Buckley's (Worcester, MA) shot was blocked at 46:55, she teamed with senior Caroline Mazzola (Harvard, MA) in the 53rd minute to fire back-to-back shots on goal. Holmes then scored her league-leading 13th goal of the season off a feed from rookie Catherine Gilman (Cohasset, MA) at 58:44. Sophomore Ally Mills (West Bridgewater, MA) notched the final shot on goal of the contest with 1:35 on the scoreboard.

Senior Lauren Puishys (Oxford, MA) tallied nine saves in the Engineer effort while Babson senior Kayla Costa (Watertown, MA) stopped a trio of shots in the victory.

Both teams face local conference foes Tuesday as WPI entertains Clark at 7pm and the Beavers host No. 9 Wellesley at 6pm.in a match-up of nationally-ranked squads.