Senior forward Jennie McAllister had four shots against MIT.
Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (September 13, 2009) -- In attempting to win its first Betty Richey Field Hockey Tournament since 1995, the Vassar Brewers would likely want a replay of the first half, because the initial 35 minutes of the game determined the outcome. Massachusetts Institute of Technology scored all of its three goals in a nine minute span of the opening period and held off a furious effort by Vassar for a 3-2 championship victory in the 21st edition of the tournament at Weinberg Field Sunday afternoon.
The Engineers now sport an unblemished 6-0 record, while Vassar drops to 1-3 on the season. The Brewers will be back in action on September 15 at Ramapo College while MIT has a September 22 away game against Nichols College.
In a contest reminiscent of last year’s opening game of the Betty Richey Tournament between Vassar and MIT – a 1-0 Vassar overtime victory – the championship tilt was played with grit and tenacity. All of MIT’s offense, which proved enough, came in the first half.
The Engineers got two first half goals from freshman attack Kimberly Barker, who was named the Betty Richey Tournament MVP, and a third goal by junior attack Danielle Smith. Those tallies were clumped together starting at 7:50 into the game when Barker scored her first goal on a breakaway following a long feed from the defensive third.
Barker’s second goal, which was assisted by Smith, followed a rush toward net. When Vassar goalie
Rachel Clarkin-Breslin came out to stop the attack, Barker juked around her for the game’s second goal at the 14th minute. Smith pushed the MIT lead to 3-0 slightly less than three minutes later, with a goal in front of a crowded cage. Clarkin-Breslin recorded three saves in her second career start in goal.
The Brewers had two golden opportunities to get on the scoreboard early in the contest as senior forward
Jennie McAllister had back-to-back shots snuffed by MIT’s junior goalie Keri Dixon, who made five saves in the game, perhaps none bigger than those against McAllister. Playing her best game of the season, McAllister had four shots on goal. With eight minutes left in the first half, Vassar finally solved Dixon’s riddle. Freshman
Rebecca Smith notched her first career goal following up a deflected save, to cut the MIT lead to 3-1.
Despite an aggressive second half, one played under warm conditions, Vassar couldn’t slice into the MIT lead until the game had ended, albeit on a foul. Sophomore
Katy Hwang scored her second goal of the season -- with no time on the clock -- following a penalty corner, to end the game 3-2.
Vassar’s midfield game was relentless in the second half, but couldn't transition into an effective offense. While the Vassar defense held firm, prohibiting the Engineers from getting off a single shot on goal, the Brewers managed only two. Until the last play, neither team had a shot on cage for the final 25 minutes. Vassar led 7-2 in penalty corners, getting four of those in the second half, and the last attempt resulting in a goal by Hwang.
All Tournament Selections
Vassar placed three players on the Betty Richey All-Tournament team. Junior
Jessica Lance, who scored two goals against Elms on Saturday and had three of Vassar’s 13 shots against MIT, earned the honor. Joining her were senior midfielder
Catherine Fuller and sophomore defender
Rebecca Backer. MIT landed Barker, freshman midfielder Molly McShane, junior defenseman Alex Wright and goalie Dixon.
The consolation game saw Manhattanville defeat Elms College 8-0. The Valiants placed junior forward Jen Ascencio and senior defenseman Meghan Munson on the All-Tournament Team. Against Elms, Manhattanville got two goals each from freshman Kayla Meenan and freshman forward Alexandra Pomato.
Elms placed senior midfielder Kaitlyn Graham and freshman goalie Alexandra Bonavita on the All-Tournament Team. Bonavita had 15 saves against Manhattanville and 45 for the tournament.