The field hockey team continued to pull itself from the rubble of an early-season three-game losing streak Saturday with a 4-2 win over Massachusetts.
With the win, the Huskies return to the .500 mark (3-3) but still find themselves out of the national ranking, for the first time since 2000.
It took the combined effort of several veteran Huskies to step up and get the win against visiting UMass. Senior co-captain Whitney Shean assisted on Northeastern’s first two goals of the game. In the third minute of play, the forward assisted on junior forward Stephanie Casper’s fourth goal of the season. Less than four minutes later senior co-captain Sarah Eckhoff scored off a penalty corner assisted by Shean and junior midfielder Ashley D’Ambra.
The Huskies dominated the Minutewomen, scoring another goal in the 23rd minute off the stick of Shean. Eckhoff recorded the assist, her fifth of the season. However, the Huskies faltered at the end of the half, allowing a UMass penalty stroke on junior goalie Liz Centofanti. It was Centofanti’s first start of the season as the Huskies continue struggling to find someone to take control in the net.
Centofanti dove to her right to make the save, but allowed a goal less than a minute later, ending the half with NU ahead 3-1.
The UMass goal gave them momentum to begin the second half.
“UMass put some players behind us and we can’t let them do that,” head coach Cheryl Murtagh said. “We have to keep possession and make them play defense.”
Despite controlling the game to open the second half, it was not the Minutewomen that scored first.
Husky junior forward Harriet Hoyer scored in the 63rd minute, assisted by Casper. It was Hoyer’s first goal of the season.
“Harriet showed a lot in preseason,” Murtagh said. “Unfortunately she missed some time because of a family matter. Now that she is back we will definitely see more of her.”
The Huskies allowed one more goal in the 68th minute but held on to win 4-2.
Murtagh said it wasn’t the best game her team had played but she was happy with the win.
“Stephanie Casper put it best: ‘We should be happy with the win but not satisfied,'” Murtagh said. “We let down and that is an issue we have to deal with.”
Centofanti made four saves on the day for her first win of the season and the fifth of her career. She is the third goalie to get a start for the Huskies this season, following sophomore Colleen Duffy and junior Meaghan Dorsi. Murtagh said the starting role is still open to whoever can get in there and make the saves.
One significant absence from the Husky backfield was senior Natalie Singelais, who is out with a possible concussion sustained against Penn State Sept. 2.
The Huskies look to continue their winning streak as they face Boston University at 3 p.m. Friday.
