MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (October 24, 2015) - Senior forward Abigail Tepper (Foxboro, Mass.) notched a hat trick and junior Marissa Gagnon (Smithfield, R.I.) added two goals as Salve Regina University posted a 5-0 victory over Western New England University this afternoon in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) field hockey action at Gaudet Field.

Western New England sophomore goalkeeper Grace Trupe (Cardiff, Calif.) turned aside a game-high ten shots, while senior Kaitlyn Labbe (Augusta, Maine) registered her team-leading sixth defensive save of the season, good for fourth in the CCC. Trupe has made 10+ saves in consecutive contests and four times overall this fall.

Sophomores Brittany DeLima (Branchville, N.J.) and Lauren Palmateer (Coxsackie, N.Y.) led the offensive effort for the Golden Bears, putting two shots on target apiece, but Salve Regina sophomore Jessica Severino (Branford, Conn.) stopped all five shots that came her way en route to her fourth shutout of the season.

The Seahawks, who have now won 12 consecutive contests and are tied atop the CCC standings with a 9-1 league mark, opened the scoring in the 21^st minute on an unassisted strike by Tepper. Western New England trailed just 1-0 at halftime, before Tepper potted her second of the game at the 46:30 mark. Salve Regina upped its lead to 4-0 on goals by Gagnon in the 54^th and 58^th minutes, respectively, and the home team capped the scoring with five minutes remaining on Tepper's third of the afternoon.

Both Western New England (7-9, 4-6 CCC) and Salve Regina (15-2, 9-1) will return to action on Wednesday, as the Golden Bears host Endicott College for a 4 p.m. contest and Salve Regina hosts Nichols College at 7 p.m.