Saint Joseph's University

MERION STATION, Pa. – Cat Arentz flipped a pass from Lily DeWan over the keeper and into the net with just less than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter on Friday to push the 20th-ranked Saint Joseph's field hockey team past New Hampshire, 2-1, at Ellen Ryan Field in the season opener for both teams.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Saint Joseph's (1-0) dominated the run of play early, forcing a pair of saves out of New Hampshire's Kerigan Ross in the first quarter.
 
• The Hawks broke through on a penalty corner early in the second.  DeWan inserted and drifted to the near post; she then received a pass from Milou Kluyt and fired home for a 1-0 lead.
 
• SJU would go on to outshoot the Wildcats 10-2 for the half to take a one-goal lead into the break.
 
• It would stay that way until midway through the fourth, when UNH's Julianna Casucci tucked home a rebound after a corner to equalize.
 
• The game wouldn't stay tied for long; the Hawks would earn five consecutive penalty corners in a span of 41 seconds; on the fifth, DeWan's pass from the near post found Arentz, who shot it over Ross with 4:55 to play to restore the SJU lead.
 
• The Hawks would then see out the finish, holding New Hampshire without an extended period of possession for the remainder of the contest.
 
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Avi Wagner made two saves in the cage for the Hawks, while Ross made 12 for the Wildcats.  Saint Joseph's also enjoyed an 18-4 shot advantage and an 11-1 margin in corner opportunities.
 
• Wagner, Hannah Bianchino, Monica Piccioli, Kiki Bruning, Jasmijn Albers, Amy Noonan, Katie Hanich, Jaclyn Vena, and Gigi Martin all made their Hawk debuts on Friday.
 
• It was also the debut match for head coach Sam Brown, who notched his first career head coaching victory and his first in the Crimson and Gray.
 
UP NEXT
New Hampshire will meet #11 UConn on Saturday at Ellen Ryan Field before the Hawks host UConn on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.