CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (November 8, 2023) – With only a 2005 play-in appearance to its name previously, the Sacred Heart University field hockey team sailed into uncharted waters on Wednesday afternoon. The program made its official NCAA Championship debut, as the Pioneers locked horns with William & Mary in an opening-round affair on the campus of North Carolina. SHU held its own early on at Karen Shelton Stadium, but eventually succumbed to the Coastal Athletic Association champs, 4-0.
 
SHU (9-11) – which had won six straight to claim its first Northeast Conference title in nearly two decades – went toe-to-toe with the Tribe early on. In a quiet first quarter, each team earned one penalty corner, and each side attempted one shot.
 
From there though, William & Mary (12-8) took over. The Tribe were able to produce seven shot attempts in the second quarter and scored twice, which was all they would need. Jayden Moon did the heavy lifting on the 20^th-minute opener, as she worked her way through the defense down low on the right side of the circle. She eventually found a seam to center the ball for Lonica McKinney, who had a sprawling finish on her third of the season as she fell to the turf in the goalmouth.
 
William & Mary needed just 2:39 to double the lead, as it capitalized on a 23^rd-minute corner. The Tribe ran a play into the left side of the circle for Pyper Friedman, who found Mollie Schuma directly in front of the cage. The latter redirected home her first of the campaign from there.
 
The Tribe struck twice more in the third quarter to create the 4-0 final. In the 35^th minute, McKinney forced a turnover in the attacking third, carried to the top of the circle and dished to the left side for Lauren Curran, who blasted her team-leading 15^th of the season between the pads of Samantha Maresca (Mamaroneck, N.Y.). In the 42^nd minute, Friedman capped the afternoon in transition, as she reversed her stick and put a shot home from distance at the top of the circle, for her eighth of the year.
 
Maresca (8-10) collected five saves against nine shots and suffered the loss in front of the SHU cage. Maddie George (12-8) stopped the only shot on goal she faced at the other end to post her fourth shutout of the season.
 
William & Mary will face top overall seed and defending national champion North Carolina in the first round on Friday at noon.