Upper Montclair, NJ (9/10/02) - The Montclair State University field hockey team opened its 2002 home campaign with a 2-0 win against NCAA Division II Kutztown (PA) University, in the first home game at Sprague Field for new MSU head coach Beth Gottung.

Montclair, which began the season with a 1-0 overtime win at Eastern (PA) on Saturday, is now 2-0 on the year, while Kutztown falls to 3-3. MSU has now also won four consecutive games dating back to 2001, including three straight shutouts.

The Red Hawks opened the scoring 8:20 into the match when junior Megan Ulicny (Edgewood, NJ), who tallied the lone goal in the Eastern contest, notched her second score of the season off a penalty corner, assisted by classmate Jen Carbonaro (Howell, NJ). Ulicny then set up junior MELISSA HERBERT (Somerville, NJ) off a penalty corner at 25:41 for a two-goal MSU lead. The Red Hawks outshot the Golden Bears, 5-3, in the first 35 minutes of play, before being outshot, 7-4, in a scoreless second half.

MSU junior goalkeeper TRISHA WINKLE (Forked River, NJ), last week's New Jersey Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, finished with four saves for the Red Hawks, including back-to-back stops with 5:35 remaining in regulation in posting her ninth career shutout. KU freshman goaltender TRISTA HERSHEY (Fredericksburg, PA) collected five saves on the evening.

Montclair returns to action on Saturday in Ewing, NJ when it visits NJAC rival and perennial front-runner The College of New Jersey at noon. MSU topped TCNJ for the first time since 1980 last autumn, winning 4-3 in overtime in Upper Montclair. The Red Hawks will then continue on the road for three more games before hosting Scranton (PA) on Oct. 4.