SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Led by an impressive performance between the pipes by junior Rachel Vellis and the first career goal for freshman Felicia King, the Long Island University field hockey team defeated Bryant University by a 1-0 final on Sunday, Oct. 27.
 
King's first career tally proved to also be her first career game-winner. The freshman matched junior Sammy Bell with two shots on goal during the contest, while freshman Saarah Olton notched one shot on goal. Vellis needed seven stops to record her second shutout of the season. As a team, the Sharks held an 11-10 advantage in shot attempts and a 7-2 edge in penalty corners.
 
During the opening quarter, Bryant threatened right out of the gates and forced Vellis to make a save just one minute into the contest. The Bulldogs added two more shots on goal during the next three minutes but Vellis stopped all three attempts to remain scoreless. Despite three penalty corners during the stanza, the Sharks could not attempt a shot until the 2:30 mark when Bell recorded a shot on goal and followed up with another attempt on cage that was stopped by a Bulldog defender to keep the score tied at 0-0.
 
The Sharks continued to pressure the Bulldog defense during the second quarter, earning a penalty corner and registering two shots early in the period. Freshman Maddy Dunne rang a shot off the post before King recorded her first goal with 5:04 remaining in the half to give LIU a 1-0 lead at the break.
 
LIU earned two penalty corners early in the third quarter before Bryant countered late in the stanza with three shots on goal during the final five minutes, but once again Vellis kept the Bulldogs out of the back of the cage to protect the 1-0 lead through three quarters. The Shark defense held the Bulldogs to zero shots during the final quarter, holding on for the victory to move to 4-1 in Northeast Conference play.
 
LIU wraps up NEC play with a key matchup against No. 24 Fairfield University on Friday, Nov. 1 at 3:00 p.m.