BOX SCORE

BABSON PARK, Mass. - The 16th-ranked Babson College field hockey team scored four times in the final 24 minutes to claim a 4-0 victory over visiting Eastern Connecticut State University in a non-conference matchup at MacDowell Field on Thursday night. With the win, the Beavers moved to 5-1 on the season, while the Warriors dropped to 1-3.

In a contest that was much closer than the final score indicated, Eastern Connecticut State kept Babson off the board for the first 45 minutes of play thanks in large part to junior goalkeeper Tia Mucciarone (Franklin, Mass.), who finished a fantastic effort with 13 saves in net. The Warriors also threatened several times at the other end but were held to just two shots by the Beavers' stalwart defense, which featured strong efforts from senior co-captain Megan Paglialunga (New Canaan, Conn.) and sophomore Sam Sulliman (Rye, N.Y.).

Babson finally broke through with 23 minutes left in the second half, as first-year Erika Hansen (Marston Mills, Mass.) tipped a pass from sophomore Colleen Kelly (Milton, Mass.) just inside the right post for the game's first goal. The Beavers then erupted for three straight goals in a six-minute span later in the period, beginning when Kelly took a pass from junior Jess Paladino (Turner, Maine) on a penalty corner and blasted a shot past Mucciarone at 63:03. Senior co-captain Nicole Cemelli (Towaco, N.J.) added another when she redirected a Paladino shot into the cage at 67:12 and sophomore Sarah Fredlund (New Preston, Conn.) tipped in a Kelly feed at 68:37 for the 4-0 final.

Mucciarone made nine of her 13 saves in the second half to keep Eastern Connecticut State close, while Babson first-year Jessica Pashos (Winchester, Mass.) made her only save of the contest in the first half.