PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – The University of Rochester field hockey team opened up its 2025 campaign with a big non-conference victory, defeating visiting Ohio Wesleyan University 1-0 at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
 
Rochester (1-0), ranked #25 in the NFHCA preseason poll, won what proved to be a defensive battle, with just 12 total shot attempts coming in the contest between the two teams. Ohio Wesleyan (0-1), the preseason favorites in the North Coast Athletic Conference were held to just five shots over the 60 minutes.
 
Junior defender Cassidy Romano scored the lone goal of the game in the 23rd minute. Midway through the second quarter, Rochester earned a penalty corner to set up the score.
 
Anya Arseneau started the play by dribbling in along the right side, sending a ball towards the goal. After a deflection, Erin Foley tapped a shot on goal that was saved, with Romano scooping up the ball and sliding a backhand shot into the cage for her first career tally.
 
Halfway through the third quarter, UR's Sophia Cuneo nearly double the Yellowjacket lead, but her deflection attempt at the far post after Arseneau sent a ball in from the right wing was just tucked wide.
 
Later on in the third, the Battling Bishops thought they had tied the game, but an obstruction call on the goal took the score off the board.
 
Rochester keeper Kara Houston came up with a couple of big saves, her first two of the game, in the final two minutes of the contest to preserve the victory.
 
Both saves came against shots from OWU's Alyssa Markell from nearly exactly the same spot about six yards off the line on the left side of the circle.
 
Houston's shutout was the 21st of her career on the River Campus, extending her Rochester career record that was set last season. The win was the 40th of her four-year career, as the senior becomes just the third goalkeeper in team history to hit that milestone.
 
The Yellowjackets close out the opening weekend of action with a Sunday matchup at home, starting at noon against Kenyon College.