The Massachusetts field hockey team pulled out a huge 4-0 win over Virginia Commonwealth in the first round of the Atlantic 10 tournament on Thursday. The nationally ranked No. 15 Minutewomen (15-4, 7-0 A-10) will continue on to the conference Championship Final for the 27th time in program history and the third consecutive year.
Elena Clococeanu opened the scoring with only a couple minutes left in the first quarter, capitalizing on the second corner opportunity to put UMass up 1-0 over the Rams (11-7, 4-3 A-10). Off a pass from de Gast, Clococeanu shot the ball towards VCU goalkeeper Tatum Anderson through traffic. The graduate student caught the deflection and sent the ball over Anderson’s shoulder. The goal was Clococeanu’s ninth tally of the season, making her the team’s leading goal-scorer.
Throughout the game, UMass put up a strong performance of defensive control. The Minutewomen limited the Rams’ offensive opportunities, outshooting them 11 to six, and effectively shutting down the VCU’s passing game. UMass’ press was productive, forcing the Rams to resort to long aerials and stunting their short passing game.
De Gast found her second goal of the matchup in the third quarter. After a denied referral for VCU, the Minutewomen took another corner opportunity. Clococeanu passed the ball to de Gast, who was wide open on the left side of the net. Anderson committed too early to the shot, diving for the ball before de Gast released it. With plenty of time and space to set up her shot, de Gast easily pitched the ball over Anderson, giving UMass a 3-0 lead.
To close out the scoring for the Minutewomen, freshman Elani Sherwood found the back of the net halfway through the third period, scoring her ninth goal and tying Clococeanu to lead the team. Up by the front of the cage, Sherwood got past her defenseman, setting herself up to direct a ball from Neva Eisenga into the bottom left corner of the net.
UMass goalkeeper Myrte van Herwijnen had a standout game, recording her seventh shutout of the season. With a strong defense to aid her, she was well-prepared to counter the shots that reached her. She made several key saves, including in the third quarter, when the Rams’ desperate play led them to a corner attempt. Van Herwijnen shut VCU down with a key save, maintaining the dominant momentum for UMass. She is currently twelfth in the nation in goals against average.
De Gast increased the Minutewomen’s lead to 2-0 in the second quarter. Scoring on back-to-back corners, UMass continued its success with attacking the left side of the cage. Paula Lorenzini took a strong shot down the middle, where de Gast found the ball on the redirect to put it past Anderson.
The Minutewomen and the Rams met earlier this season on Sept. 20, where UMass prevailed 2-0. The last time the two teams faced each other in the A-10 playoffs was in 2021, when VCU triumphed in a shootout win. On Thursday, the Minutewomen avenged the Rams and come out on top with a dominant victory befitting of their No. 1 seed ranking.
UMass will continue its run in its last appearance in the A-10 tournament on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 12 p.m. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Minutewomen are set to face off against Saint Joseph’s in the finals.
Caroline Burge can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @Caroline_Burge
