Bears Notch Fifth Consecutive Shutout in 5-0 Victory over Suffield

If the field hockey team is looking ahead to next week’s rematch against North Central Connecticut Conference rival Avon, it isn’t showing it.

Brooke Kumnick scored two goals, while Morgan Malone, DD Sojka and Mia Olsen each added one apiece as the Bears carved up Suffield 5-0 on Thursday afternoon.

Granby (11-1, 9-1 NCCC) dominated the talented, but overmatched Wildcats, earning 18 penalty corners while Suffield (8-5) didn’t have any.

“As a group I thought we played really well today,” Suffield head coach Dan Gatto said. “We were just kind of outmatched a little bit. I thought our center mid, Ashley Gleason, was great. She controlled a lot of the play. She gave us most of our offensive opportunites and defended really well.”

Kumnick’s brace further added to a terrific season that has seen her take over the position formerly occupied by All-World player Abby Bascetta, who is currently on Boston College’s field hockey roster.

“Last year, [Kumnick] was one of the strongest forwards in terms of hustle and re-defending and she created a lot of attack for us,” Granby Memorial head coach Sandy Wickman Mason said.  “One game we just kind of put her [in Bascetta’s former spot] and it all just clicked. She runs and runs and runs and it’s a very tiring position, so we talked to her about it and she was game. She and Haley [Makuch] work awesome together, just like Haley and Abby worked well together. … I think as the season has gone on, [Kumnick's] gotten more and more comfortable in that role. Her confidence is growing and I think in the midfield we’re pretty good.”

Gatto, for his part, believed that the Bears were more than pretty good at every position.

“[They’re] as good as it gets,” Gatto said. “From the bottom up, they do everything right. Just really good.”

It was the fifth consecutive shutout for the Bears, who have outscored their opponents 23-0 since losing to Avon 2-1 on Oct. 10.

Still, despite the lopsided statistics, Wickman Mason credited Gatto for the Wildcats’ continued improvement.

“He’s done a great job for them,” Wickman Mason said. “Watching their warm up, they have a very purposeful warm up, and them having the turf, it’s got to be awesome for them.”

Gatto in turn credited his players for the team’s improvement.

“We have more girls that want to [play],” he said. “We’ve got more girls playing in the off season and more girls that go year round and try to get better. That’s just a testament to our girls; they’re just playing more.”

Suffield is scheduled to face Avon under the lights at home Tuesday.

Granby, on the other hand, is scheduled to face Guilford on the road Saturday before it faces Avon, which snapped the Bears’ 33-game victory streak two weeks ago.

Wickman Mason said that she is not concerned about her team looking ahead to the Falcons game when it faces Guilford tomorrow.

“No,” she said. “[Guilford] tied Hand, so we’re expecting a pretty good game. We’re pretty excited because we’re playing on turf. We’re all excited to play each other because the style of hockey is so nice.”