Montclair, NJ – Senior forward
VICTORIA ROSSI and classmate
AMBER HASLETT each scored once as Montclair State, ranked 10
th by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association, knocked off Ithaca College 2-1 at Sprague Field on Saturday afternoon.
Senior
KAILEY DALGAUER collected an assist for the Red Hawks (1-0), who captured their eighth consecutive season opener. Meg Dowd registered the goal for the Bombers, who split their season-opening weekend in New Jersey. Ithaca defeated Drew, 3-0 on Friday.
Montclair State shut down the Bombers holding the visitors to just one shot in the game which came with just under five minutes to play in the contest. Despite its 22-1 advantage in the category, MSU found itself in a scoreless contest until six minutes remaining in the first half.
HANNAH BOLLINGER intercepted a clearing pass at the 40-yard line and flipped the ball forward 10 yards to Dalgauer, who maneuvered deep into the circle before sliding a pass to Rossi on the left-hand side. Rossi lifted a shot over Ithaca keeper Savanna Lenker giving Montclair State a 1-0 lead.
Dalgauer would also have a hand in the second goal as the Red Hawks quickly added to its advantage 2:57 into the second half. Collecting a ball outside the circle, Dalgauer drove in along the right side before unleashing a shot that Lenker stopped with her left blocker. Fortunately for MSU, the ball came back out front to Haslett, who reversed chipped the ball inside the left post giving the Red Hawks a two-goal advantage.
Lenker would keep Ithaca in the game with seven saves in addition to a defensive save from Maddie Keppel on a shot by
KELLIE VIZZUSO with 16:58 remaining. Two minutes later, Lenker thwarted back-to-back shots by Haslett and
KELLY WATSON as the game stayed at 2-0.
Ithaca would finally break through on what turned out to be their only shot of the game. Dowd was able to pull away from a defender from 20 yards out and moved in toward the right post. The senior then flicked a shot in on the near side cutting the deficit to 2-1 with 4:07 left.
Lenker finished with seven saves for Ithaca. Junior
NICOLE ANDRIANI picked up the win for Montclair State in her career start.
MSU goes right back to work on Sunday, September 2 as it hosts DeSales University at Sprague Field beginning at 1:00 pm.
