BROCKTON, Mass. ---- Shelby Sprague (Stoughton/Stoughton HS) netted a hat trick in her first collegiate game to help the Massasoit Community College women's soccer team defeat Monroe College JV, 7-5, at Warrior Field on Sunday.
Sprague, who played sweeper for the first half, was moved up to forward midway through the second stanza and the position switch paid huge dividends. The freshman scored three crucial goals, as both teams had no problem finding the back of the net.
Massasoit held a comfortable 3-1 lead at the break dominating the visiting Mustangs, rifling off 20 shots in the opening stanza and 42 total for the game (24 on net).
The second half was a scoring spree as each team scored four goals apiece, but the Warriors first half cushion proved to be the difference.
Sprague's first two goals and the second goal of the day from Delmy Brooks (Brockton) put Massasoit up 6-2 with just under 20 minutes to play in the match. However, the Mustangs netted three consecutive goals, all on breakaways, to pull within a one, 6-5, in the 86th minute.
Two minutes later, Sprague completed her hat trick as the Warriors held on the for the victory in the team's season opener.
"Defensively we had a couple of breakdowns, which led to a few breakaways to net for Monroe," assistant coach Sandy Lombardi said. "I thought offensively, we a had a lot of shots and a lot of opportunities, and we could have easily scored two or three more goals. I think the difference in the game was putting Shelby (Sprague) up top. She was a little sparkplug for us she helped put us in a comfortable lead. But Monroe fought back until the very end."
Shauna Fitzpatrick (Braintree/Whitman Hanson HS) and Na Nunes (Brockton/Brockton HS) also netted goals for the Warriors in the victory.
Massasoit returns to the pitch on Tuesday, with a road contest at Bunker Hill slated for 4 p.m.
