PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – The University of Rochester field hockey team played a terrific all-around game in its season opener on Thursday evening, defeating Nazareth College 8-0 at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
Rochester's eight-goal output is the most ever in a season-opener and is tied for the fifth most in a single-game in program history.
First-year forward
Maeve Fogarty recorded a hat trick and added an assist, while senior
Nikki Mercer had two goals and one assist.
Karina Bridge tallied three assists,
Bella Militi had one goal and one assist and both
Vivianna Arnold and
Zoe Conomikes each recorded single goals.
Early in the opening quarter, Nazareth tallied the games first two penalty corners. Rochester fended off the pressure and did not allow a scoring chance, eventually holding the Golden Flyers (0-1) without a shot the entire 60 minutes.
The momentum flipped to Rochester after that, but starting Nazareth keeper Madilyn Satter made six saves in the opening period, keeping the Yellowjackets off the board. After 15 minutes, the game was scoreless.
In the second, Rochester tallied twice, roughly two minutes apart. In the 22nd minute, Mercer recorded the game-winner, beating Satter on the short side from in close on the right. Fogarty made it 2-0 in the 24th minute, tipping in another shot from the right side just inside the post.
The Yellowjackets offensive onslaught continued in the third, scoring four times. Nearly three minutes into the period, Bridger looked to have a goal as a bouncing shot slipped past Satter in goal, but Mercer got a stick on the ball just before it crossed the goal line, earning her second of the night.
Two minutes later, Arnold blasted a hard turnaround shot from 11 yards in the middle of the circle to make it 4-0 Rochester.
Fogarty closed out the scoring in the quarter with back-to-back scores. The first was a pretty, backhand lifted shot to the top left corner of the net. The second was a rebound tally.
In the fourth, UR's Militi and Conomikes scored less than a minute apart to wrap up the shutout win.
Rochester remains home to start the season, playing again at Fauver Stadium on Saturday at noon against Hartwick.