HANOVER, N.H. (September 15, 2024) – Aine Keaney (New City, N.Y.) and Blaire Sparks (Medford, N.J.) both found the net in the third quarter on Sunday afternoon, as the Sacred Heart University field hockey team twice pulled within a goal after conceding twice early on the road. In the end though, a 2-0 halftime lead was enough for Dartmouth to hang on for a 3-2 victory at Chase Field.
 
It was a hot start for the host Big Green on Sunday, as Dartmouth (1-3) scored twice in the first half to take a two-goal lead into the intermission. The home side opened the scoring in the 12^th minute, when Ella Bowman let fly from the top of the circle on a penalty corner and put away her first goal of the campaign.
 
The Big Green would strike again in the 19^th minute to make it a 2-0 game. Gabriela Braceras sent the ball into the danger area, and it wound up bounding across the goalmouth. Zoe Schaffer was able to time things up and knock it out of midair to put her first of the season to the back of the cage.
 
SHU (2-4) got the offense going just 2:15 on the far side of the halftime break. After coming up empty on 10 penalty corners at home on Friday night, the Pioneers would strike twice off of corners in Sunday's third quarter. The first came via a slick looking play which saw the ball come up top on the right side for Megan Albert (Lansdale, Pa.). Albert sent the ball towards the right post, where Keaney was waiting to redirect it home for her first of the year.
 
Dartmouth had a quick answer though, in the 37^th minute, less than four minutes later. Schaffer had the finish at close range for her second goal of the afternoon, while Riley Dumigan provided the assist.
 
If SHU's first goal had been slick, its second came via pure force in the 41^st minute. Abby Lauer (Hummelstown, Pa.) inserted a corner to Sparks on the left side. Sparks touched into the circle, wound and fired a shot which made its way through traffic, past the keeper and into the net for her first goal of the season.
 
From there though, the offense would dry up the rest of the way on both sides. Sacred Heart generated three shots over the remainder of the contest, but put just one on goal, which Kylie McKinley turned aside to preserve Dartmouth's 3-2 lead.
 
Samantha Maresca (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) made five saves against eight shots and suffered the loss (2-4) in front of the SHU cage. McKinley (1-0) stopped two of four shots in the victory for Dartmouth.
 
SHU is on its adopted home field, but as the road team, in its only action next week. The Pios pay a visit to Yale for a 6 p.m. non-conference game on Friday, Sept. 20, at Johnson Field.