NEW HAVEN, CONN. (October 11, 2015)—The Sacred Heart field hockey team rallied with two second-half goals in Sunday's Metro-Atlantic Athletic Conference opener, but it wasn't enough as the Pioneers fell to Siena 4-2 on Johnson Field.

SHU continues the three-game homestand against Lehigh Tuesday at noon.

First Half:

• The Pioneers maintained control of the ball early in the first half, but had trouble finding the offensive zone
• In the 13^th minute, Molly Hagen took Siena's first shot of the game and found the back of the cage for the game's first score
• The Saints scored once more in the 24^th minute on Fabiana Citro's penalty shot. The junior lifted the ball over the head of SHU goalkeeper Mary Altepeter to improve Siena's lead to 2-0
• SHU was outshot 9-7 in the first half, putting four of its seven shots on goal

Second Half:

• SHU threatened early in the second half with two corners in the first three minutes
• The Pioneers couldn't score on the first corner, on the second Rachel Claroni picked up the rebound dishing the ball to Lauren Lawson who pushed it past Siena's Mary Drabich for SHU's first score in the 39^th minute of the game
• Just three minutes later, Siena improved its lead as Aubrie Bleier pulled Altepeter's attention to the right side of the cage before passing it to Ashley Dona on the right side. The junior took the close shot from in front of the cage for a 3-1 lead
• In the 56^th minute SHU's Danielle Gallagher put a shot on goal that was saved by Drabich. Gallagher got her own rebound and with a hard shot scored the Pioneers' second goal of the game
• Riding the momentum of two second-half goals, SHU got off three more shots before the Saints found the offensive zone again and in the 63^rd minute added another goal to their total
• Sacred Heart outshot Siena 12-9 in the latter half of the game