BRIGHTON, Mass. – Simmons field hockey (11-2, 6-2 GNAC) registered their ninth shutout of the season following a convincing ,10-0 shutout over University of St. Joseph (Conn.) (1-11, 1-6 GNAC), on Wednesday afternoon.

The Sharks wasted little time getting on the scoreboard and netted the game's first goal 4:32 into the contest. The Sharks drove down left side of the field and centered a pass to sophomore forward Sydney Gonyea. Gonyea's initial shot was turned away by USJ's junior goalkeeper Wendy Bowden. The rebounded landed right at the stick of Simmons' sophomore forward Hannah Groves. Groves slid a pass back across the goalmouth to Gonyea who had a wide-open net and she converted for her 16th goal of the season.

The Sharks struck again five minutes later at the 9:54 mark of the opening quarter. Following a turnover by the Blue Jays near midfield, sophomore forward Emilia Elko stole the ball and drove upfield in space. Elko slipped a nice pass forward to graduate senior forward Riley Lambert, who ripped a perfect shot past Bowden into the left side of the goal to double-up the Sharks' advantage.

Simmons found the back of the goal two more times in the first quarter to increase its lead to 4-0. After a USJ foul, junior forward Aria Badra played to make it 3-0. Nearly two minutes later, Lambert used some fancy stick work to move through traffic and find space before dishing off a pass to sophomore forward Anna Tedeschi. Tedeschi collected and finished brilliantly by lifting a shot straight up into the top netting to balloon the Sharks' lead to 4-0.

The Sharks tacked on three more goals in the second quarter behind the play of Gonyea. Gonyea netted the hosts' fifth and sixth goals of the afternoon to collect a first-half hat-trick. Her first of the second quarter came on a successful penalty stroke at the 19:43 mark before she found the back of the net again with a long-range rip 24:24 into the match. Moments later, she dished one, finding Lambert who backhanded in her second goal of the match to make it 7-0 heading into halftime.

Simmons continued to apply pressure throughout the second half and added three more goals over the final 30 minutes of play with two goals in the third quarter and one in the fourth quarter.

Freshman Zoe Schmaling netted the first goal of the second half for the Sharks when she tapped in a goal at the far post after a great cross from Sharks' sophomore Hannah Groves. The hosts ninth goal of the match came after another successful penalty stroke, this time from senior defender Haley Dover.

The Sharks added one more goal in the fourth quarter following a penalty corner opportunity. Schmaling inserted the ball to Gonyea at the top of the arc and she fired toward the net. After the shot was deflected, Beckwith, who was by the post, knocked it in to pad the Sharks lead until the final horn sounded.

SIMMONS HIGHLIGHTS

• Sophomore forward Sydney Gonyea surpassed her collegiate career single-game high, recording eight points with three goals and two assists.
• Graduate senior Riley Lambert recorded her fourth multiple goal game of the season, scoring twice.
• Junior Aria Badra's first quarter goal was her second goal of the season.
• Seven different Sharks scored in the game – Maddie Beckwith, Zoe Schmaling, Anna Tedeschi, Sydney Gonyea, Riley Lambert, Aria Badra, and Haley Dover.  

UP NEXT
Simmons returns to the field on Saturday, October 15 when they travel to Newton, Massachusetts for GNAC match up against Lasell University at noon.