Box Score SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--Despite outshooting the visitors in the second half, the Western New England University field hockey team couldn't overcome a slow start in a 4-0 non-conference loss at the hands of Smith College at Golden Bear Stadium on Thursday evening. With the win, the Pioneers snapped an eight-game losing streak to improve to 2-9 on the season. Western New England, meanwhile, falls to 3-8.

Marissa Vara led Smith with a pair of goals and Julia Hamilton added a goal and an assist.

Smith held a slim 16-14 edge in shots overall, but WNE dominated penalty corners by a 19-6 ledger. Freshman Brittany DeLima paced the Golden Bears with seven shots, including three on target.

Vara put Smith up 1-0 in just the 2nd minute, getting an assist from Casey Rau.

Western New England's first shot on goal was a good one as freshman Michelle Carlson ripped one from the left side that was saved by Nora Demick, who finished with six. Less than 3 minutes later, classmate Allison Jackson tipped a long-range shot from junior Sabrina Lyesiuk that was blocked down in front of the goal.

But in the 13th minute, Hamilton took advantage of a misplayed ball by the WNE defense and recorded her third goal of the season. The Pioneers led 2-0.

Western New England coach Judy Strong--who won a school-record 171 games during her 20-year tenure at Smith from 1987-2006--inserted freshman Grace Trupe into the goal to infuse some momentum in the Golden Bears' favor, and Trupe responded with a career-best six saves over the final 57 minutes and 34 seconds.

Trupe was tested early as she stopped a deflected shot by Sophie Chase from close range. Two of her best saves of the night occurred under the 5-minute mark only 21 seconds apart as she stymied Vara on a 3-on-1 breakout and then denied Kat Estes from close range.

Smith went into halftime holding a three-goal cushion after Vara's team-leading seventh goal--and second of the contest--in the 20th minute off Trupe.

Western New England picked up the intensity in the second half and it showed as the Golden Bears outshot the Pioneers 10 to 3 and recorded 15 of the 17 penalty corners for the final 35 minutes. DeLima had the first good scoring opportunity 1:54 into the half when her close-range shot from the right side was stopped by Demick. Then in the 44th minute, DeLima took a midfield pass from Jackson but missed just wide left.

Mariah Ollive closed the scoring for the Pioneers in the 46th minute, taking a pass from Hamilton across the goal and one-timing a shot past the right of Trupe for her first of the season.

Western New England kept pressuring for solid looks but didn't get rewarded with a goal. DeLima had two back-to-back shots off short penalty corners following a blast by Carlson.

Western New England wraps up a three-game homestand Saturday with another non-Commonwealth Coast Conference opponent in the form of Union College, out of New York. Game time is at 6 p.m. at Golden Bear Stadium.