Salve Regina seniors score for 4-2 win at Roger Williams

BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University field hockey team could not make it three wins in a row, as Salve Regina University defeated the Hawks by a 4-2 margin Tuesday evening.

The Seahawks wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, notching their first goal of the game in the opening minute of play. Salve Regina earned a penalty corner in the first minute, which was passed to Erin Gendreau (Sandwich, Mass.). Gendreau fired a shot at Hawk keeper Mya Lunn (Marion, Mass.) who deflected the shot to her left. However, Salve Regina's Alexisse Clinger (Nantucket, Mass.) poked the loose ball into the back of the goal to give the Seahawks the lead.

Roger Williams responded shortly thereafter, tallying the game-tying goal in the third minute. Stephanie Yaegar (Gansevoort, N.Y.) gained possession in the arc and tapped a short pass to Taylor Powell (Windham, N.H.), who then turned and fired one to the right side of the goal for her first collegiate goal.

Salve Regina almost regained the lead in the 14th minute, when Julia Grover (Cotuit, Mass.) sent a pass from outside the arc to the left corner of the goal to a running Lindsey Venuto (Foxboro, Mass.). Venuto had an open look but just missed getting a stick on the ball.

The Hawks came close as well in the final two minutes of the first half. Meghan Curran (West Milford, N.J.) sent a pass to the left side to Lillian McNeil (Marshfield, Mass.) for an open shot on goal. McNeil took an off-balance shot from one knee, sending the shot wide left.

Despite Roger Williams keeping the game tied in the first half, Salve Regina came through with the go-ahead tally in the second half. Venuto sent a long pass across the arc to Marissa Gagnon (Smithfield, R.I.), who was able to beat Lunn to the side of the goal, scoring to make it 2-1.

The Seahawks later added another score in the 54th minute, beating the Hawks in transition. Gagnon took the ball up the right side and sent a long pass to Abigail Tepper (Foxboro, Mass.). Tepper then launched a long shot of her own that just bounced inside the left corner of the goal, putting Salve on top 3-1.

Roger Williams rallied late, with Curran bringing RWU within one with her eighth goal of the year with just over seven minutes to play. Curran knocked in a loose ball off of a saved shot by Juliana Miccile (Upton, Mass.). However, that would be all Roger Williams could muster, as the Seahawks held on for the win. Linsdey Mazzola (Upton, Mass.) added a goal for Salve with no time on the clock after the Seahawks received a penalty corner with eight seconds left in the game.

Salve Regina keeper Jessie Severino (Branford, Conn.) had three saves for the Seahawks in the game, while Lunn made 12 stops in the loss.

Roger Williams (7-10, 4-6 CCC) plays its final home game of the regular season Friday afternoon against Gordon College, while Salve Regina (14-2, 8-1 CCC) hosts Western New England University on Saturday.