The field hockey team had two huge wins this week, improving its record to 8-2 after beating West Chester by a score of 6-1 and LaSalle by a score of 4-1.

The team started off the week against West Chester in its first home game in over three weeks. On a hot and humid Wednesday afternoon, the team got to work early in the first half when freshman Ally Smith came off the bench to score the first goal on a pass from sophomore Emily Donaldson. Smith scored off a penalty shot that created chaos in front of the cage; she was able to gain control and fire a shot into the goal. Two minutes later, the Wildcats went up 2-0 when freshman Big East Player of the Week and ECAC Player of the Week Lauren Wuzzardo nailed a shot right in the cage.

West Chester was able to sneak in a goal before halftime, making the score 2-1. However, the Wildcats came out in the second half ready to do work. Sophomore forward Jenn Nazarethian outsmarted the Ram defender and passed the ball to freshman Meg Ryan, who scored the third Wildcat goal.

The next chance to score came on a penalty shot awarded to junior Sam Coveleski. The West Chester goalie made a diving jump to save it, but it deflected off the top of her hand into the goal. The officials, however, blew their whistles before the play was over, so the goal did not count. After motivation from the Villanova coaching staff, the Wildcats got fired up, and Smith was able to score her second and third goals back to back to put the Wildcats up by a score of 5-1. The three goals allowed Smith to record her first collegiate hat trick.

The team had one more chance to score off a penalty shot taken by senior Stephanie Campbell. Although her original shot missed, junior Allison Boris capitalized on another shot and sent the ball into the goal. Red-shirt freshman goalkeeper Maura McCormick saved two other shots to limit the Rams’ offensive drive.

The other game of the week was a win against LaSalle last Saturday. The team was held scoreless in the first half of the game, but it came out of the half ready to win and scored four unanswered goals in the second.

Boris and Wuzzardo scored two goals each in the second half in the effort to beat the Explorers. Boris scored Villanova’s first two goals. The first was off a pass she received from Campbell. Shortly after, she scored her second goal off a pass from senior Catherine Somits. This goal was be the game-winning goal for the Wildcats.

Wuzzardo scored twice late in the game to give ‘Nova the cushion it needed to win its eighth game of the season.

The field hockey team has won the last five games. The team will take on the Quakers at the University of Pennsylvania this Wednesday night and will then travel to Syracuse next weekend in Big East conference play.