Farland Sets Goals Mark as Field Hockey Advances to Little East Semifinals

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University field hockey team advanced to the semifinal round of the 2012 Little East Conference Tournament as the second-seeded Bears downed seventh-seeded University of Southern Maine, 3-0, on Thursday evening at Swenson Field.

Senior midfielder Shelby Farland (Fiskdale, Mass.) scored twice for the Bears, including her school record-setting 30th of the season.  Junior forward Carissa Vizakis (Bellingham, Mass.) and freshman midfielder Jennifer Arnold (West Yarmouth, Mass.) each added a pair of assists as Bridgewater improves to 17-2 on the season.  The 17 wins is also a new school record, eclipsing the previous mark of 16 set in 2007.

The Bears will now host third-seeded Keene State College in the tournament semifinals on Saturday at noon.  Bridgewater edged Keene State, 1-0, at Swenson Field in their only meeting of the season back on September 7th.  Southern Maine ends the season with a record of 9-12.

Junior forward Demi Miskiv (Centerville, Mass.) opened the scoring with her 17th marker of the season in the 25th minute off a centering pass from Vizakis. Miskiv beat the Southern Maine keeper with a shot that deflected off a defender's stick and into the right corner of the net.

Less than four minutes later, Farland notched her first goal of the day to tie BSU Hall of Famer Karen Croteau's single-season mark of 29 set thirty years ago in 1982.  The goal came off a penalty corner as Farland blasted a shot from the top of the circle.  Arnold picked up an assist on a stick stop, while Vizakis, who started the corner, notched her second assist on the evening.

Farland broke the record in the 60th minute as she flicked a shot into the top right corner off a short feed from Arnold.  Farland now has 30 goals and 13 assists for 73 points on the season as she continues to add on to her BSU single-season scoring mark.

The Bears held a decisive 25-4 shot advantage as well as an 8-2 edge in penalty corners.  Junior goaltender Kacie Sturgeon (Dartmouth, Mass.) turned aside three shots, all in the second half, to record her fifth shutout of the season and team's eighth.  Southern Maine junior Kayla Kennedy (Windham, Mass.) made eight saves between the pipes for the Huskies.