MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (Sun., March 15, 2009) - Improving its all-time record vs. Eastern Connecticut to 7-0, Wesleyan (3-1) got two goals and two assists from junior Erin McCarthy and three goals from sophomore Jess Chukwu to power past the visiting Warriors (0-3), 13-6. Eastern Conn. also had a player with a hat trick, junior Katie Beers.

The score was tied, 2-2, 10 minutes into the contest before Chukwu scored two of her three goals in a span of just 29 seconds, triggering a four-goal Wesleyan run for a 6-2 advantage with 11:08 to go in the first half. McCarthy finished off the spurt with a free-potion goal. Beers, who upper her goal total to a team-leading four, tallied twice in the final 3:19, the last from a free position, to counteract Wesleyan goals from freshman Eileen Gaffney and sophomore Maggie Lile, both assisted by McCarthy, making the score 8-4 at intermission.

McCarthy got Wesleyan on the board first 2:21 into the second half but Eastern Conn. responded with goals from juniors Taylor MacDonald and Dana McLaughlin to narrow the gap to 9-6. That was as close as the Warriors would get as the Cardinals netted the final four goals and the teams played the last 11:56 without another tally for a 13-6 final.

Chukwu improved her scoring this year to seven goals while junior Charlotte Hastings, who had a pair of goals today, remains atop the Wesleyan scoring list with eight goals and two assists for 10 points. McCarthy is next with 6-3-9.

In the Eastern Conn. net, freshman Kristianna Ibsen notched 13 stops while Wesleyan freshman Maggie Drowica posted seven saves in 58 minutes before giving way to junior Abby Sedney.

Wesleyan, ranked 19th nationally in Division III, plays its next game Tues., March 17 at sixth-ranked Middlebury while Eastern Conn. hosts Vassar Wed., March 18.

2009-03-15