NEW HAVEN, CONN. (September 2, 2016)—Nichole Tolli (Poughquag, N.Y.) got the Sacred Heart field hockey team (0-3) on the board to start the second half, but the Pioneers could not overcome the first-half deficit and fell to Lock haven (1-0) 8-1 on Friday in the 2016 home opener. 

SHU returns to Johnson Field Saturday, but this time as the visitor, when they face off against Yale at 3:00 p.m.

Highlights:

• Tolli scored her second goal of the season
• Lauren Musselman (Bethlehem, Pa.) made her season debut in goal for the Pioneers

First Half:

• The Pioneers started the game in the offensive zone with Rebecca Hauser's (Mohrsville, Pa.) shot getting blocked, but earning SHU an early corner. Nichole Tolli took a shot directly on goal, but Paige Struppy made a quick kick-save
• After that, Lock Haven kept play in their offensive end for most of the period to own a 4-0 lead at halftime

Second Half:

• Four of the Pioneers' five second-half shots came in the first three minutes as the Sacred Heart offense fought hard to get something going in the beginning of the latter period
• SHU got on the scoreboard in the 38^th minute as Tolli got the rebound of another Struppy save. The junior took the shot through three defenders hard enough to get it across the line for the Pioneers' first goal of the game
• The Bald Eagles shut down Sacred Heart's offense after the one goal, as Lock Haven went on to match its first-half production in the second period.