MERION STATION, Pa. – Two goals late in the first quarter provided the offense and the Hawk defense made it stand up as the 11th-ranked Saint Joseph's field hockey team opened up its 2023 season with a 2-0 win over #15 UConn at Ellen Ryan Field on Friday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• It was a back and forth affair early in the game until late in the first quarter.  Manu Ghigliotti found Lily Santi at the top of the circle with just under two minutes to play in the frame; Santi fired a reverse chip high into the corner of the net for the first goal of the season.

• Saint Joseph's (1-0) doubled the lead 68 seconds later; on a corner, Katy Benton found Ghigliotti, whose attempt found the back of the cage for a 2-0 advantage after the opening stanza.

• Things were relatively even through the second and third quarters before UConn (0-1) made a push in the fourth.  The Huskies outshot the Hawks 4-1, with three of them on target, but Janelle Ward saved all three, including a leaping stop in the final four minutes to preserve the clean sheet.

HAWK TALK
"We are extremely happy with the outcome of the game today," head coach Hannah Prince said. "Holding a 2-0 lead for three quarters is not easy, so I am proud of the leadership from our veterans to make it happen. Additionally, some of our less-experienced players really stepped up in the defensive line and were able to shut out a top opponent.

"You can't recap the game without a huge acknowledgment of Nelly Ward. She had some incredible saves and kept us in the game today."

BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Ward was stellar between the pipes, making seven saves.  Natalie McKenna made eight for UConn.  Milou Kluyt added a defensive save for the Hawks in her collegiate debut.

• The Hawks enjoyed a 15-12 advantage in shots and earned nine penalty corners while conceding only three.

UP NEXT
The Hawks host UMass Lowell on Sunday.  Game time is set for 1:00 p.m. with a live stream on ESPN+.