Springfield, Mass. - The field hockey team opened the 2019 season at American International College, falling 3-1 at Abdow Field. Despite facing a Northeast-10 opponent, the contest does not count in the NE10 standings for either opponent, as it was designated as a non-conference match.

How it Happened

• The Yellow Jackets tallied a goal in each of the first two quarters, taking a 2-0 lead into halftime.
• Molloy's first scoring opportunity of the contest came five minutes into the second half off the stick of freshman Hannah Desmarais.
• The Lions got on the board in the final minutes of the third frame as sophomore Jessica Kleber pushed a pass from sophomore Carly Malico past the goalie.
• The maroon and white out-shot AIC, 3-2, in the final frame but were unable to knot the score. The Yellow Jackets added an insurance goal in the final minutes of play to seal the 3-1 victory. 

Top Performances

• Kleber and junior Olympia Moulton each recorded two shots for the Lions.
• Sophomore Riley Wallace registered a defensive save, keeping the Yellow Jackets off the board in the first five minutes of play.
• Freshman Ally Saigh made nine stops in her first collegiate start, splitting the game with fellow rookie Ava Quick. 

Coach's Comments
"It was a tough loss for us today," explained head coach Trish Bonagura. "We came out quiet and flat in the first half, but made adjustments at half time. We were able to play as a unit and play more offense in the second half. For us to be able to make the in-game changes showed growth, and that is definitely a positive takeaway for today."

Up Next
Molloy kicks off the home portion of the schedule on Wednesday (Sept. 11) as the team welcomes East Stroudsburg University to Cedar Creek Park at 4:00 p.m.