Wellesley, Mass. – October 17, 2009 – Senior Morgan Rein tallied a pair of goals as the Springfield College field hockey team handed Wellesley its first conference loss of the season by a score of 4-2 on Saturday afternoon in New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference play.

The victory evens the Pride’s record to 7-7, 3-3 in conference action while the Blue drop to 9-6, 4-1 in league play.

Freshman Anna Calano came up big for the Pride as she stopped a career-high 10 shots in the win. Calano faced a relentless offensive attack from Wellesley, who out shot the Pride 28-13 in the game and held an 11-5 advantage in corners. However, the freshman allowed just two goals to pick up her second win of the season.

Following nearly 24 minutes of scoreless hockey, the Pride struck first as Alexa Carlson picked up the first tally of the afternoon off of a rebound from her own shot.  Wellesley knotted it a 1-1, just five minutes later, as Katie Frett scored following a saved shot off the stick of Molly Morrow.

The 1-1 score didn’t last long, as Springfield took possession after the goal and got a breakaway from Becca Gamble.  Gamble and Rein then created a two-on-one to pull Wellesley netminder Sarina Sawyer off her post and Rein slipped a shot over the right shoulder of Sawyer for a 2-1 Springfield advantage that would hold at the half.

Rein completed her two-goal performance early in the second half, scoring unassisted off of a rebound, to stretch the Pride lead to 3-1. 

Wellesley cut the lead back down to one goal in the 50th minute when Emily Lewis converted an assist from Whitney Reid to make it 3-2.  However, Springfield got an insurance goal on a sharply executed penalty corner, sealing a 4-2 victory.  Meg Bradley picked up the goal on the corner, with assists from Gamble and Meagan Dobson.

Wellesley’s Sawyer picked up four saves in the loss.

Springfield’s next game will be on Wednesday evening as it hosts Trinity in a non-conference contest at 7:00 pm.