Box Score SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--Freshman Allison Jackson led all scorers with two goals and an assist as the Western New England University field hockey team won in its debut under new coach Judy Strong on Saturday, doubling up visiting Wheelock College, 4-2, in a non-conference game at Golden Bear Stadium. Today also marked Western New England's first season-opening win since Sep. 1, 2005, when it edged perennial regional power Keene State College, 2-1, also at home.

Classmate Michelle Carlson also had a multi-point afternoon for the Golden Bears with a goal and an assist.

Katelyn Frade led the Wildcats with a goal and an assist. Emma Panto accounted for Wheelock's other tally.

Freshman keeper Renee Rossignol made three saves in her Golden Bears debut, while her counterpart Nicole Miranda tried to keep the game within reach for the Wildcats by making 19 stops.

Western New England also enjoyed big advantages in shots (40-5), shots on goal (23-5) and penalty corners (17-3).

Senior co-captain Megan French staked WNE to a 1-0 on a successful penalty shot just 4 minutes and 9 seconds into the contest. Western New England made it 2-0 in the 27th minute when Jackson found Carlson down low and she scored from close range.

Carlson almost scored a third WNE goal in the first half when she deflected a long-range shot by French off the crossbar, and then Wildcat defense was able to clear the loose rebound out of danger.

But just 1:30 later, Frade cut the WNE lead to 2-1 on a feed from Courtney Scherer. Western New England held that lead into the intermission.

In the second half, Jackson scored a pair of insurance goals 16 minutes apart to give WNE a comfortable 4-1 lead.

The Golden Bears defense of junior co-captain Katherine Ferrari, junior Kaitlyn Labbe, and freshmen Samantha Krumpholz, Lauren Palmateer held Wheelock to few solid scoring opportunities.

Western New England returns to action next Saturday at Westfield State in another non-conference match-up, starting at 1 p.m.