West Haven, CT – The Hofstra field hockey team picked up its first win of the 2024 season in dramatic fashion, defeating Sacred Heart by a final score of 2-1 after winning 3-2 in the shootout from Johnson Field in West Haven, Connecticut.
 
The win is the first for Hillary Fitts as the head coach of the Hofstra field hockey team, and it puts Hofstra at 1-3 on the year. Sacred Heart is now 2-3.
 
Hofstra got off to a hot start with a goal inside the game's opening minute. Pilar Penaloza crossed inside the shooting arc and took a fierce backhander shot from the top of the arc and beat Sacred Heart goalkeeper Samantha Maresca, putting the Pride on top 1-0.
 
After being held scoreless in the first quarter, Sacred Heart outshot Hofstra 8-3 in the second and third quarters. The Pioneers evened the score at 1-1 inside the final three minutes of the third frame. After an Aine Kearney shot was blocked, Jaden Ray collected the rebound and fed Jenna Baxter for the goal with 1:24 to go before the fourth quarter.
 
Neither side was able to find the go-ahead goal in the fourth quarter, nor in either overtime periods, so the game went into a shootout. Sacred Heart scored on its first two tries to go ahead 2-1 after Tara McNally scored and Jamie Mc Millan was denied. The shootout score remained at 2-1 for the next five shootout takers until Kesia Richardson scored her attempt, putting the score at 2-2 and extending the shootout another round. McNally scored on her attempt at the beginning of the sixth round to make it 3-2 Hofstra, and Pieke Roos disrupted the attempt by Celia Benson to win the shootout – and the game – for the Pride.
 
Roos totaled four saves against the Pioneers, while Penaloza's early goal was her first of the season. Maresca stopped five shots for Sacred Heart.
 
Hofstra returns home to Cindy Lewis Stadium on Sunday, September 15, to face LIU at noon.
 
NOTES:
-Hofstra remains undefeated against Sacred Heart with a 21-0 all-time record.
-This was the second shootout win in as many seasons for Hofstra, after winning via shootout against William & Mary last season.
-The teams had 12 shots each, while Sacred Heart finished with 10 penalty corners to Hofstra's five.