PHILADELPHIA (August 30, 2024) – The Sacred Heart University field hockey team got 2024 off on the right foot on Friday afternoon, as Ines Braithwaite (Oxford, England) poked home her first goal in more than a year, in the 12^th minute. However, it was host Drexel which had the last laugh in the season opener, as the Dragons struck late in the third quarter and again early in the fourth to deal the Pioneers a 2-1, non-conference defeat at Buckley Field. Samantha Maresca (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) piled up 10 saves to open her senior campaign in the SHU net.
 
Drexel (1-0) piled up an 11-3 advantage in shots in the first half, including 7-3 in shots on goal, but it was Sacred Heart (0-1) which provided the only tally of the opening 30 minutes. After starting in her collegiate debut, Celia Benson (Scituate, Mass.) gained control high on the left side of the circle in the 12^th minute. She reversed her stick and found a passing lane across the goalmouth. Crashing towards the right post, Braithwaite was able to get her stick to the ball as she went to the turf and stuffed home her third career goal, and her first since Oct. 16, 2022, against Colgate.
 
At the other end of the field, Maresca stopped all seven shots on her cage in the first half, to stake the Pioneers to a 1-0 lead heading into the break.
 
It was more strong work in the defensive circle on the other side of halftime, highlighted by a neat one-two combination in the 40^th minute. First, Maresca shut down a shot from a driving Valentine Van Hellemont on the right side. The rebound came out in front of the left post, where Natali Foster was waiting for it and put it back towards the SHU goal. Foster did not get all of it though, and Jaden Ray (Shrub Oak, N.Y.) was on the scene to pluck the ball out of midair and collect her second career defensive save.
 
Unfortunately for the Pios, the defensive load would prove too much to handle down the stretch, as Drexel ultimately ran up a 19-5 shots margin, including 8-2 in the second half, and made a late comeback. In the 44^th minute, with just 82 seconds to play in the third quarter, Kenzie Lever capitalized on a turnover and put home a long shot from the right side of the circle to even the score. In the 48^th minute, just 2:44 into the fourth quarter, Lever added an assist as well, as she set up Pien Elsen on a corner play and the latter finished off the eventual game-winner. It was two goals in a span of just 4:06 straddling the third-quarter break for Drexel.
 
Maresca (0-1) finished with 10 saves against 12 shots in front of the SHU net. It was the fifth career double-digit save outing of her career. Halle Geiger (1-0) made four stops on five shots for Drexel.
 
Sacred Heart wraps up its opening-weekend trip to eastern Pennsylvania on Sunday afternoon, with a visit to Villanova. Game time is set for noon in Conshohocken, Pa.