PITTSFORD, NY – The University of Rochester field hockey showed it means business again in 2018, jumping out to a fast start en route to a season opening 7-1 victory at Nazareth College on Saturday afternoon.
 
12th-ranked UR (1-0), got an early goal in the 5th minute, led 3-0 at halftime and cruised to the six-goal win on opening day.  Nazareth (1-1) was limited to just seven shots in the game, compared to 43 for the visiting Yellowjackets.
 
Senior Nancy Bansbach and first-year Amanda Strenk each had two goals for Rochester, while senior Courtney Dunham and junior Colleen Maillie each recorded a goal and assist.  Nikki Mercer scored as well for the 'Jackets and Kate Tiffany helped out with two assists.
 
In goal, Kate Kujawa made two saves in playing all 70 minutes for Rochester.  Nazareth's Kimber Nourse was peppered with a ton of shots and made 16 saves while allowing six goals.  Amanda Chuttey played the final 17 minutes for the Golden Flyers, made two saves and allowed one score.
 

Rochester was able to strike on penalty corners for its first two goals, the first a blast by Dunham from the edge of the circle, with the second being knocked in by Maillie off passes from Dunham and Tiffany.
 
UR's third goal came on a penalty stroke by Bansbach after Nazareth committed an infraction in the circle which prevented a goal from happening.
 
The Yellowjackets fourth goal came off two backhand attempts inside the circle in the 44th minute.  Ava Schwartz slipped a backhand pass through to Mercer who was five yards out and got just enough juice on her attempt to get past Nourse and another Nazareth defender into the cage.
 
Less than a minute later, Strenk got her opening goal of the game when she lifted a backhand shot from the top of the circle into the top corner of the cage.
 
Bansbach made it 6-0 UR in the 53rd minute before Nazareth got on the board in the 58th after a goal from Emily Prescott.  UR's Strenk then connected on another penalty corner goal with assists from Maillie and Tiffany with under three minutes left to complete the scoring.
 
The Yellowjackets remain on the road to start the season, traveling to #16 SUNY Cortland for a top-20 matchup on Wednesday at 4 pm.