10/04/2007
Field Hockey's Ra'Akbar Rocks Anna Maria, 5-0

WORCESTER, MASS. 10/4/07 - Sophomores Precious Ra’Akbar (Baltimore, Md.) and Lauren Blake (Oakland, Me.) scored two goals apiece to lead Clark University to a 5-0 shutout victory over Anna Maria College in non-conference field hockey action on Thursday night at Granger Field.

Clark snaps a two-game losing skid to improve to 5-5. Anna Maria (2-9) drops their third straight game.

The Cougars scored a pair of goals in the first half. Ra’Akbar scored the game-winner in the 24th minute and Blake bounced a shot past AMC keeper Alyssa Boykin (Worcester, Mass.) just over four minutes later for a 2-0 halftime advantage.

Clark controlled the tempo in the second half after Ra’Akbar put the squad up 3-0 in the 42nd minute. She settled a centering pass from Blake and one-timed a shot to the left side of the cage. In the 55th minute, Blake chimed in for her second goal of the night on an unassisted blast for her team-leading 14th goal of the season.

Sophomore Chelsea Proulx (Franklin, N.H.) added a goal in the 68th minute to cap the offensive attack.

The AmCats, who were limited to just three shots in the game, pressed to get on the board in the first half. Shots from first-years Emily Nugent (Worcester, Mass.) and Cara Whelply (Philmont, N.Y.) and senior Alicia Gray (Norwich, Vt.) were all turned aside by Clark netminder Kathryn Dawsey (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) early in the game.

Dawsey made three saves in goal for Clark before giving way to Katelyn McGrath (Wilmington, Mass.) (0 saves). Boykin had a busy night in goal stopping 13 shots for Anna Maria.

Clark will host WPI in a key NEWMAC contest on Saturday (1 p.m.), while Anna Maria returns to conference action against Salve Regina on Monday (4 p.m.).