Field hockey edged by Nichols in CCC opener, 5-3

DUDLEY, Mass. - Senior Emily Widdison (Greenfield, Mass.) scored a pair of goals to lift the Nichols College field hockey team to a 5-3 win over Salve Regina University in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) opener for both squads Saturday afternoon at Vendetti Field on National Field Hockey Day.

Sophomore Kaylee McNamara (Watertown, Mass.) broke a three-all tie with an unassisted marker 6:30 into the second half as the Bison (4-2, 1-0 CCC) picked up their second win in less than 48 hours. Junior Lisa Bucci (Irvington, N.Y.) tallied a goal and an assist for the Seahawks (2-3, 0-1 CCC).

The Seahawks opened the scoring with a goal 1:02 into the first half on a one-time shot from junior Heather Kapatoes (Hopedale, Mass.) off a feed from Bucci. Widdison's ninth of the season seven minutes later knotted the score at one as she dribbled into the crease and released a shot from eight yards out.

Following Bucci's second of the season off a rebound in front, Widdison produced a carbon copy of her first goal at 17:12 as she took the ball from midfield, walked uncontested into the circle, and fired a shot past sophomore goalkeeper Murphy McCann (Westerly, R.I.) to tie the score at two.

Freshman Marissa Gagnon (Smithfield, R.I.) potted her first collegiate goal 1:26 later, knocking a rebound into the back of the cage to give the Seahawks a 3-2 lead. For the third time in the half, the Bison responded to tie the game, this time on a goal by junior Amanda Broughton (Plymouth, Mass.). Freshman Meghan Dombkowski (Sagaponack, N.Y.) slid a pass to Brought at the left side of the circle, and she walked in and let a shot go that trickled through McCann's pads at 19:54.

Nichols took the lead for good early in the second half on McNamara's third of the season. Sophomore Avery Orszulak (Springfield, Mass.) led a shot go that was stopped by McCann, but McNamara pounced on the rebound and chipped it into the back of the cage. Freshman Emily Broughton (Grantham, N.H.) added an insurance marker 11 minutes later to pad the Bison lead.

Nichols outshot the Seahawks 31-18 and held a 15-8 edge in penalty corners. Widdison notched a game-high seven shots for the Bison while senior Kelly Burke (Georgetown, Mass.) led Salve Regina with four. Sophomore Molly Melanson (Simsbury, Conn.) stopped 11 Seahawks shots to improve to 3-2 on the season. McCann, meanwhile, recorded 10 saves to fall to 2-3.

The Bison return to action on Wednesday when they head to Cambridge, Mass. to face the Engineers at noon. The Seahawks head to Simmons for a 7 p.m. contest on Wednesday.