Field Hockey Falls to #7 Babson in Season Opener

WORCESTER, Mass. - The Worcester State University field hockey team had no answer for the nation's seventh-ranked team on Friday afternoon as the Lancers suffered a 10-1 defeat to Babson in non-conference action at Coughlin Field.

With the loss, the Lancers drop to 0-1 on the season, while the Beavers pick up a win to open their campaign, moving to 1-0. 

Senior Lauren Drakeley (Woodbury, Conn.) got the scoring started early on the afternoon for the Beavers, tallying her team's first goal of the season at the 4:24 mark. The offense never slowed down from there for the visitors, who would score the game's next three goals before Worcester got on the board.

The Lancers' leading scorer from a season ago, Michaila Parent (Westborough, Mass.), picked up from where she left off at the 16:19 mark of the first half. The senior took a feed from junior Sophia Monopoli (Worcester, Mass.) on the right wing and fired it past Babson freshman goalkeeper Cassidy Riley (Catonsville, Md.) for her first goal of the season.

Babson continued to pile it on following the Lancer tally, as the Beavers would score three more times in the first half to take a 7-1 advantage into the break. 

The offensive fire power of Babson continued in the second half, as they would score three more times to close out the 10-1 victory.

Junior Tori Roche (Andover, Mass.) tallied four goals on the afternoon for the visitors, while classmate Carla DiBiase (Winchester, Mass.) had a hat trick of her own with three goals to leave Babson. 

Worcester State received strong goaltending from freshman goalkeeper Jess Hopkins in her first collegiate start. The rookie recorded 12 saves in the loss, while Riley picked up the win for Babson making a pair of saves.

The Lancers will look to get into the win column next Wednesday when they begin a five-game road trip at Salve Regina at 6 p.m. Babson will have a quick turnaround, as the Beavers host Endicott College Saturday night at 6 p.m.