Wesleyan University

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The No. 12 ranked Wesleyan field hockey team shrugged off a tough double overtime defeat on Wednesday and bounced back in a big way with a 3-1 win over No. 21 Bates on Saturday on a rain-soaked Hicks Field. The Cardinals (4-2, 1-2 NESCAC) land their first league win of the season and earn just their second win over the Bobcats (3-3, 0-3 NESCAC) in their last 13 meetings.
 
Having to play through several heavy downpours and weather a lightning delay that lasted over 90 minutes, the Cardinals found success through the adversity with Teddy Tolbert '28 scoring the opening goal midway through the second quarter before Natalie Shaw '28 scored on two penalty corners in the second half to pave the way to victory. Meera Patel '29 assisted on all three Wesleyan goals in the win.
 
The first quarter was largely devoid of scoring chances as Ciara Geraghty attempted the only shot in the period which was saved by Keira O'Flynn '29.
 
It was much of the same for the first six minutes of the second quarter until a very well-worked Wesleyan goal opened the scoring. Shaw started with an aerial on the restart in the Wesleyan defensive end to Brooke Miner '28 who hit Leila Feldman '28 with an outlet pass over midfield. Feldman sent a through ball to Patel who chipped a pass to Tolbert who swept in the opening goal with 8:31 left in the second quarter.
 
Wesleyan took the 1-0 lead into halftime and dodged what was the first Bates penalty corner chance of the game before scoring on a penalty corner just past the midway point in the period. Coming off a penalty corner, Kenzie Mauro '27 inserted to the stick stop Patel at the top of the circle. Patel left the ball for Shaw who wound up and first in the straight shot off the corner to make it 2-0 Cardinals.
 
The Cardinals continued to apply the pressure in a dominant frame wherein Wesleyan outshot Bates 5-0 to take the two-goal lead into the fourth quarter but not before a lengthy weather delay as lightning struck in the area. The two teams were forced to clear the field in a delay that lasted nearly 90 minutes before returning to Hicks Field to play out the fourth quarter.
 
Bates was the better side in the early stages of the fourth quarter, seeing an Elsa Copeland attempt go wide of cage before drawing a penalty corner and scoring on the sequence as Haley Dwight knocked a ball from the wing down to the near post where Caroline Nowak was waiting to pounce and lower the deficit to 2-1.
 
The response from Wesleyan was immediate as a penalty corner just over two minutes later saw Marley Procopio '29 insert to Patel who nodged the ball for another straight shot from Shaw that found the back of the cage and restore a 3-1 lead for the hosts.
 
Bates had two penalty corners and two shots that failed to reach their target down the stretch as Wesleyan finished off the 3-1 win just as the rain started to pour once again.
 
Shaw registered her first career multi-goal game, becoming the first Cardinal defender to score two goals in a game in at least 20 seasons. Patel posted her first career three-assist game while Tolbert's goal is her second of the season.
 
Prior to the game, Wesleyan celebrated its six-member senior Class of 2027 as Mauro, Sarah Porter '27, Sarah Gorman '27, Anna Broderick '27, Hannah Meyers '27, and Charlotte Goldman '26.5 were all honored and celebrated alongside teammates and family.
 
The Cardinals are back on the road for a pair of NESCAC games next week as Wesleyan travels to face Trinity on Wednesday (6:30 PM) and Hamilton on Saturday (11:00 AM).