BROCKPORT, NY – The University of Rochester field hockey team picked up its second-straight win to open the 2024 campaign, defeating the SUNY Brockport Golden Eagles, 3-0, on Thursday evening at Dr. Linda Arena & Class of '69 Field.
 
The Golden Eagles got on the offensive early against UR, earning their first of three penalty corners just over four minutes in. But Kara Houston made a trio of early saves to keep Brockport out of the back of the net, stopping shots from Allison Greene, Emmalee Moore and Samatha Choate before Rochester's offense got going on the opposite end of the field.
 
Grayson Honig took three of UR's first four shots, two of which were blocked while the other sailed wide, as the 'Jackets earned three penalty corners down the stretch of the first quarter as their offense kicked into high gear.
 
Houston made one last save before the first quarter horn, keeping another shot from Moore out of goal before the Yellowjacket defense cleared things out ahead of the second quarter.
 
And after Brockport outshot Rochester, 5-4 in the opening period, the Yellowjacket defense would hold the Golden Eagles without a shot the rest of the way. UR outshot Brockport, 23-5, for the contest and 19-0 after the first quarter.
 
The Yellowjackets also earned 22 penalty corners, nine of which came in the second quarter where UR took its two-goal lead. Hannah Mehta forced the first save of the night from Brockport's Ella Buchanan just shy of the 10-minute mark in the second, before Buchanan was forced to keep out another UR attempt, this one from Sophia Cuneo, less than 30 seconds later.
 
Over the next five minutes, the Yellowjackets earned six penalty corners, eventually converting the sixth into a score. Mara Heppard inserted UR's sixth penalty corner of the period with just under five minutes left in the first half. Heppard sent it in to Jessica Unkel, who passed it over to Mehta, and Honig tipped in the first-year's shot to give Rochester a 1-0 lead.
 
A little over four minutes later and with less than one minute left in the first, Heppard doubled the 'Jackets lead, as the ball made its way back to the graduate student after yet another penalty corner. Heppard would flick the ball over the outstretched arms of Buchanan into the back of the net to give Rochester a 2-0 halftime lead.
 
And less than one minute into the third, Mehta made it 3-0. On another penalty corner, Honig this time found Mehta after the first-year assisted on the sophomore's earlier goal, putting Rochester up 3-0.
 
From there, the Yellowjackets would cruise to victory, dominating possession for much of the second half and holding Brockport without a shot for the entire period.
 
Mehta's goal was UR's lone shot attempt of the third, while the 'Jackets notched 12 more attempts in the fourth, six of which were on goal. Honig and Mehta continued to lead UR's offense in the period, combining for five of Rochester's six shots on goal in the final period, with another coming from Molly Newbold.

And despite not finding a fourth score in the final period, the Yellowjackets finished off the shutout and rolled to a 3-0 victory over the Golden Eagles.
 
With the win, Rochester moves to 2-0 on the year, while Brockport falls to 2-1.
 
Honig led the Yellowjackets with a goal and an assist on eight shots (three on goal), while Mehta tallied a goal and an assist on six shots (five on goal). Heppard notched UR's other score on just one attempt, while Newbold tallied three shots and Anya Arseneau added two.
 
In goal, Houston played all 60 minutes to earn the shutout, making four saves.
 
Rochester next makes the trip to Ohio to kick-off a two-game road trip against Denison University on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 11:00 a.m. in Granville, OH.