Dimick's quartet sends Wheaton past Salve Regina in field hockey opener

August 31, 2007

NORTON, MA- Senior Sara Dimick (Cumberland, ME/Greely) tied a school record with four goals, including the winner 31 seconds into the second overtime period, as the Wheaton College field hockey team opened the 2007 season with a 4-3 victory over visiting Salve Regina University on Friday afternoon at Clark Field. The contest, which was also the Seahawks' first game of the fall, marked the fifth consecutive season in which the Lyons began the year with an overtime affair, and the fourth straight Wheaton home opener that was decided by one goal.

Dimick put the Lyons on the board a little more than 18 minutes into the game, but only after sophomore keeper Devin Eppley (Darien, CT/Darien) denied the Wheaton co-captain with a sprawling stick save in the fourth minute. In what proved to be a back-and-forth affair, Salve Regina freshman Brittany Lopes (Lexington, MA/Lexington) knotted the score five minutes before halftime, and the visitors took the lead 10 minutes into the second period on the first of senior Whitney Bushee's (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury) two tallies.

A little more than six minutes later, Dimick tied the game after creating a scoring opportunity off a penalty corner and beating Eppley to the stick side, but Bushee converted with 13:48 remaining in regulation to put Salve Regina back ahead. With 8:22 left in the second half, senior Ashley Miller (East Bridgewater, MA/East Bridgewater) carried up the left side in the circle and found Dimick, who deposited her third goal to force overtime.

The visitors held an 8-2 advantage in shots during the first extra session but were turned away by a handful of critical saves from freshman Cameron Abel (Windham, NH/Salem). With nearly eight minutes remaining, Abel made a left toe save of a Lopes shot before stopping Bushee's attempt from inside the top of the arc less than two minutes later. Three minutes were left when Abel knocked down a try by senior Caroline Galligan (West Newbury, MA/Pentucket Regional) with her left blocker.

In the second overtime, Wheaton had the first possession, which ended with senior Lyndsie Ryalls (Branford, CT/Branford) finding Dimick for the winner after a scramble in front of the net.

Abel finished with 11 saves in her college debut, while Eppley turned aside nine shots. Before Dimick, two Wheaton players had netted four goals. Rachel Sminkey '07 did so just last year on September 2, while Maureen Reynolds '88 performed the feat on October 31, 1987.

The Lyons continue a season-opening three-game homestand tomorrow against Regis College at 1:00 p.m.

SCORING: 1st 2nd OT 2OT Final
Salve Regina (0-1) 1 2 0 0 3
Wheaton (1-0) 1 2 0 1 4

1st Half: WC- Sara Dimick (unassisted) 18:11; SRU- Brittany Lopes (unassisted) 30:18

2nd Half: SRU- Whitney Bushee (unassisted) 45:02; WC- Dimick (unassisted) 51:26; SRU- Bushee (Toni Pucillo) 56:12; WC- Dimick (Ashley Miller) 61:38

2nd OT: WC- Dimick (Lyndsie Ryalls) 85:31

Goalie Saves: WC- Cameron Abel 11; SRU- Devin Eppley 9

Shots: WC- 16; SRU- 20

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