HAMDEN, Conn. (October 27, 2024) – A pair of first collegiate goals in the fourth quarter on Sunday afternoon allowed the Sacred Heart University field hockey team to rally for a 2-1 non-conference victory on the road at Quinnipiac. First, first-year forward Bridget McLaughlin (Shrewsbury, Mass.) got things level in the 47^th minute. Later, in the 51^st minute, senior tri-captain Megan Albert (Lansdale, Pa.) put home the first of her career – in her second-to-last game – to lift the Pios to the victory.
 
After a scoreless first quarter, Quinnipiac (2-15) opened the scoring on a 22^nd-minute penalty corner. Katie Shanahan knocked home her first collegiate goal, off assists from Kate Zamagni and Martina Calveira.
 
In the end, all three goals in the game would be the first career tallies for the respective scorers, as SHU (6-11) notched two in the fourth to post a come-from-behind victory. In the 47^th minute, Cate McConaghy (Newtown Square, Pa.) tracked down a loose ball on a rebound on the left side of the circle. She found a seam through to McLaughlin, who brushed home her first at the college level at the right post.
 
The winner came just over four minutes later, in the 51^st. The Pioneers ran a corner play for Emma Brayford (Breiningsville, Pa.) at the top of the circle, but her shot did not make it through to the cage. Instead, Albert collected near the penalty spot, fired through traffic and found the back of the net for her first collegiate marker.
 
The SHU defense held strong from there and conceded just one shot on goal the rest of the way, which Samantha Maresca (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) turned aside in the 55^th minute to preserve the one-goal victory.
 
Maresca (5-11) made three saves against four shots to pick up the win. Cristina Torres (0-14) stopped two of four at the other end and suffered the loss for Quinnipiac.
 
Sacred Heart wraps up its season on Friday, at home against NEC opponent LIU at 5 p.m.