Dean Field Hockey Defeats Gordon College 2-1 in Last Home Game of 2026 Season
FRANKLIN, MA- The Dean College Field Hockey team closed out its home schedule with a 2-1 victory over Gordon College Wednesday afternoon.
The Bulldogs improved to 11-7 overall and 5-4 in conference play, while Gordon concluded their season with a 2-16 record. Dean also continued its unbeaten history against Gordon, improving 3-0 all time.
Dean controlled possession and a high press from the start of the game, keeping Gordon on the defensive fight for much of the first half. The Bulldogs registered two shots in the opening quarter, both coming from Emily Yazzetti, while Gordon struggled to create any opportunities on the opposite end.
The second quarter followed a similar pattern, with Dean maintaining its high press and spending most of the period in its attacking half. Yazzetti continued to lead the offensive effort, recording all five of Dean's first-half shots, including three on goal. However, Gordon goalkeeper Haylee Briggs stood strong between the posts, making three saves to keep the game scoreless.
Despite Dean's clear advantage in possession and scoring opportunities, both teams entered halftime locked in a scoreless tie. Gordon had yet to register a single shot through the opening 30 minutes.
"I am very pleased with the performance of my defensive line during the game," Goalkeeper Sara Gardner commented on the game. "Although I cannot say I am surprised, [the defense] has kept us in games throughout this entire season."
Dean finally broke through just two minutes into the third quarter. Dean was given a penalty corner; Katrina Lee received the ball and passed toward the left side of the scoring area, where Yazzetti sent a shot into the upper corner of the cage. The goal was Yazzetti's 13th of the season and gave the Bulldogs a 1-0 advantage.
The Bulldogs continued to control the pace throughout the third quarter, recording five additional shots while holding Gordon to minimum attempts for the third consecutive period. Briggs added two more saves to prevent Dean from extending its lead.
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Dean doubled their lead in the 4th, following an offensive buildup where Yazzetti delivered a pass into the scoring area to find Jordan Boelig positioned near the goal line. The senior captain finished the opportunity, recording her second goal of the season and giving the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead.
With time winding down, Gordon made one final push to get on the scoreboard. In the final minute of the game, Jordan Drouin converted off a penalty corner, cutting the deficit to one goal. However, the Fighting Scots had little time to mount a comeback, as the final whistle sounded just seconds later to seal Dean's 2-1 victory.
"Winning our last home game of the season was electric," Gardner commented. "We were playing for the five seniors that are about to leave our program, and it felt so special to be able to celebrate with them on Grant Field one last time."
Dean was offensively dominant this game, with the Bulldogs outshooting Gordon 14-2. Briggs finished with seven saves for Gordan and only two shots came in the final quarter.
With its final home contest behind it, Dean will soon turn their attention toward the postseason. The Bulldogs will first travel to Springfield College on Thursday October 29, for a 4 p.m. matchup to finish their regular-season schedule.
Many students have supported this team all season. Kendra Richardson, a Junior at Dean College, was in the stands for this match. "I love coming and supporting," She expressed. "I think it's very great what they do, I'm very excited that they are going to GNAC [tournament] again this year!"
Dean will begin their GNAC Tournament campaign on Saturday, October 31, traveling to Newton, Massachusetts, to face third place Lasell University in the quarterfinals. The matchup is scheduled for 11 a.m.
"Staying humble is key," Gardner gave her thoughts on the upcoming playoffs. "We just need to play our game, and success comes shortly after that."
The 6th place Bulldogs enter the postseason looking for redemption after falling to Lasell 2-1 in a conference game just last week. Historically, the Lasers have held the advantage in the series, winning five of six meetings all time. Dean's one victory came in 2025, when the Bulldogs got a 4-1 road win.
Lasell enters the tournament with an 8-7 overall record and a 6-3 conference mark, setting the stage for a competitive quarterfinal matchup as Dean looks to advance in the GNAC postseason.
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