Boxscore

PURCHASE, N.Y. – A seven-goal second half outburst gave the Manhattanville field hockey team their first Freedom Conference victory of the season with an 8-0 win over conference member Wilkes University on Saturday morning at GoValiants.com Field.

Six different Valiants scored in the contest, led by sophomore Kayla Meenan (Warminster, Pa.). The forward set the Manhattanville all-time single-game assists record with four and also added a goal for six points, placing her fourth on the school's all-time single-game points list as well. 

Junior Alyssa Coughlan (Rye, N.Y.) and freshman Britney Themistocles (Kingston, N.Y.) each scored twice in back-to-back sequences, while junior Alyssa Nardone (Closter, N.J./Northern Valley Regional Demarest), sophomore Melissa Goncalves (Holtsville, N.Y.) and freshman Megan Greene (Jamestown, R.I.) each had single tallies as well for the home team in the win.

The Valiants out-played Wilkes for the entire contest and held a 27-4 advantage in shots along with a 20-2 difference in shots on goal.  The only statistical advantage Wilkes had over the Valiants was a 6-5 margin in penalty corners.

The Valiants got on the board in the fourth minute as Meenan fed a crisp pass to Nardone, who split the defense and scored on a breakaway from midfield. The Valiants finished the first half with a 7-2 lead in shots, but just the one-goal lead.

The Valiants added seven goals in the final half, beginning with a pair of goals from Coughlan in the 43rd and 49th minute, respectively. Meenan assisted on both goals, along with an assist from senior Jen Ascencio (Monroe, N.Y.)on the second tally. Her first goal came on a one-timer set up by Meenan, while the second was a result of a successful penalty corner serve by Meenan to Ascencio allowing Coughlan to blast the ball through traffic in front of the goal.

Meenan added to her total with her third tally of the season in the 55th minute, as she came down the right side and scored short side past Colonels' netminder Lindsey Davenport.  Two minutes later, Meenan added her fourth assist of the morning with a pass to the back post for a tap in by Goncalves to give the Valiants a 5-0 lead. 

Greene got into the act less than two minutes after Goncalves' tally, netting her team-leading fifth score of the season unassisted at 58:22. The Valiants finished their offensive rush later in the frame, with a pair of goals from Themistocles less than two minutes apart.

In goal, freshman Melissa Grant (Hampton, N.H.) made one save in 63:42, allowing her to get her fourth victory of the season before she was relieved by classmate Amy Hilton (Pittsburgh, Pa.) to finish out the shutout. Davenport made 12 saves and was dealt her fifth loss of the season.

Manhattanville (5-7, 1-2 Freedom) will get back on the field tomorrow as they travel to Stevenson for a 2 p.m. match. Wilkes (4-5, 0-3 Freedom) will travel to Alvernia on Thursday for a non-conference meeting beginning at 7 p.m.