FAIRFIELD, Conn.—The Sacred Heart University women's rugby team dominated Army 31-7 in the season opener at home on Park Ave Field on Friday evening. The Pioneers start their season 1-0 overall and in National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) play, while Army drops to 0-1.

First year Reese Torticill tallied three tries to lead SHU in her collegiate debut, while junior Alyssa Cunningham went 3-for-5 in conversion kicks. Senior Fabiola Millien-Faustin and sophomore Ashley Torres-Brown each added a try for the Pioneers.

SHU came out with intensity from the start and never let up. Millien-Faustin scored the first try of the evening at 35:02 to give the Pioneers an early 5-0 lead. Torticill added the next try with her first-career score to extend the lead, 10-0. Cunningham converted on her kick to add two more points for SHU at 18:12. Torres-Brown and Torticill added two more tries, and Cunningham converted on both kicks as the Pioneers took a dominating 26-0 lead at the half.

Army was able to get on the board with a try and conversion kick in the second half to make it 26-7. Torticill completed her scoring trifecta at 5:16 in the second half to extend the Pioneers lead 31-7, which would hold as the final score.

SHU held an 11-7 advantage in scrums and out-tackled Army 18-16.

"I'm really proud of the team, they came out with intensity right away and never stopped," said Head Coach Michelle Reed. "They just kept going and covering each other. We would change and sub players, but the product never changed from them, and that is what we want to see. No matter who goes out there, it should be the rugby that we play every time. I am really proud of all the work throughout preseason to come into this game and not only win but dominate a team that has been in the top four of NIRA for the last few years. It was so great to see, and I'm just really excited for the team. It's all on them, they put in the work out there."

The Pioneers are back home on Saturday, September 9 as they will host Brown at 11:00 AM.