PURCHASE, N.Y. – Manhattanville had more shots, more ground balls and more shots on goal than Vassar, but the Brewers scored more goals, handing the Valiants a 15-9 loss Wednesday night at GoValiants.com Field in the final game of a season-long five-game homestand.

Vassar scored four straight goals to open the first half and four more in a row to start the second half to keep Manhattanville at bay throughout. The Valiants cut the deficit to four midway through the second half after falling in a 10-3 hole, but the Brewers scored three of the game's last four goals to pull away.

Manhattanville actually out-shot Vassar in both halves, 17-13 in the first and 23-14 in the second, for a 40-27 margin in the game. But only 24 of the Valiants' 40 shots were on cage, and Ariel Nelson and Nicole Englehardt combined to make 15 saves for the Brewers.

Cory Alcorn (Orangeville, Ontario), Abbe Grimes (Hamden, Conn.) and Jen Ascencio (Monroe, N.Y.) were each able to beat Nelson twice, with Alcorn scoring the Valiants' first two goals of the night. For Ascencio, Wednesday's game was only her second with the team after finishing the season with Manhattanville's National Runner-Up women's hockey program, and the goals were the first two of the freshman's career. Also a member of Manhattanville's field hockey team in the fall, Ascencio added a ground ball and caused turnover off the bench.

Alcorn put together another full stat sheet, leading the Valiants in goals, ground balls (7) and caused turnovers (3). The senior is Manhattanville's leader in goals (17), points (19), ground balls (29), draw controls (20) and caused turnovers (15) this season.

Grimes finished with a team-high three points – assisting on one of Alcorn's goals – to push her season point total to 18, second on the team. Katie Bertel (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Emelda Ogweta (Portland, Maine) and Colleen Holahan (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) scored the other three Valiant goals.

Christine Castellan scored a game-high six goals to lead the Brewers, who improved to 4-0 on the season. Katama Martellucci added three goals and an assist for Vassar, and Nelson made 13 saves to earn her fourth win of the year. Kirstin Betsill (Parkton, Md.) suffered the loss for the Valiants but did make six saves.

Manhattanville (3-3) will hit the road for the first time since March 6 Saturday when they play their first-ever Middle Atlantic Conference game at Lycoming at 2:00 p.m. The Valiants do not return home until April 2 when they host FDU-Florham at 4:00 p.m.

2008-03-27