The Husson University field hockey team captured the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship on Saturday afternoon, powering past Goucher College, 4-1, behind an explosive offensive performance and a standout defensive effort that held the Gophers to just one second-half goal.
Goucher (9-10) opened the game with heavy pressure, generating multiple early penalty corners and forcing Husson (9-7) freshman goalkeeper Ella Duchette to make four saves in the first three minutes. After weathering the initial surge, the Eagles quickly took control.
At 12:05, Husson broke the deadlock when senior Averi Baker finished off a well-executed penalty corner, assisted by juniors Jazmin Johnson and Faith Tillotson. Just twenty seconds later, at 12:25, Tillotson added her first of the day to push the Eagles ahead 2-0 at the end of the opening period.
Husson continued to dictate play in the second quarter, outshooting Goucher 8-2 and generating numerous corners. Goucher goalkeeper Katie Bloom kept the score close with several stops, but Duchette and the Husson backline responded with a composed defensive effort to send the Eagles into halftime still ahead by two.
Just seconds into the third quarter, at 30:02, freshman Addie Twitchell extended the lead to 3-0 with her first collegiate goal, redirecting a feed from Baker and senior Maddie Perkins. Goucher answered at 36:34, trimming the deficit to 3-1 on a goal off a corner, but Husson quickly responded.
At 45:00, Tillotson struck again, finishing her second goal of the game off another corner setup from Baker and Perkins to restore a three-goal advantage heading into the fourth.
The final frame featured a physical, midfield-heavy stretch, but Husson’s defense remained in complete control, allowing no shots in the period and closing out the match with discipline and composure to secure its first ECAC title.
Tillotson, who was named the game’s MVP, led the way offensively with two goals and an assist, capping a dominant championship performance. Baker added a goal and two assists while creating consistent pressure throughout the match. Twitchell contributed a key goal to open the second half, and Perkins supplied two assists and six total shots as part of Husson’s relentless attack. In the cage, Duchette finished with four saves — all in the opening quarter — to help stabilize the defense early and seal the victory.
With the win, the Eagles close out their season as ECAC Champions and will now look forward to the 2026 season.
