Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Sacred Heart University

Sacred Heart University Pioneers
Amelia Pellegrini
Greg Vasil
1
Winner Sacred Heart SACRED H (1-2, 1-0)
0
Mercyhurst MERCYHUR (0-2, 0-2)
Winner
Sacred Heart SACRED H
(1-2, 1-0)
1
Final
0
Mercyhurst MERCYHUR
(0-2, 0-2)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Sacred Heart SACRED H 0 0 0 1 1
Mercyhurst MERCYHUR 0 0 0 0 0

Game Recap: Field Hockey | | Matthew Janik

Late Pellegrini Tally Lifts Field Hockey at Mercyhurst, 1-0

Maresca tallies fourth career shutout

ERIE, Pa. (September 6, 2024) – The Sacred Heart University field hockey team controlled Friday's NEC opener at Mercyhurst through 30 minutes. It controlled play through 45 minutes. It controlled play through the first 59 minutes of the 60-minute contest.
 
At that point, the Pioneers still had nothing to show for it. Sure, they had advantages of 18-2 in shot attempts, 13-2 in shots on goal and 11-2 in penalty corners, but there were still no goals on the board heading into the final minute of regulation.
 
Enter Amelia Pellegrini (Wallingford, Pa.). SHU was awarded a corner with just 49 seconds to play. The junior inserted the ball to the top of the circle for Emma Brayford (Breiningsville, Pa.) and then cut to the left post. Brayford teed up a drive into traffic. The ball deflected into the air off the defense, but Pellegrini was still able to get her stick to it and redirect it home for her first goal of the season.
 
It would be the only goal of the game, as Sacred Heart came away with the 1-0 victory at Saxon Field. For Pellegrini, it was her second career goal (Oct. 1, 2023, vs. Quinnipiac), both of which have been game-winners.
 
Prior to the late winner, SHU (1-2, 1-0 NEC) had been dominant throughout, but unable to solve Mercyhurst (0-2, 0-2 NEC) goalkeeper Kayla Desmoreau, who tried valiantly to steal a game for the Lakers, who were playing just the second contest in their Division I era. Desmoreau (0-2) finished with 12 saves against 13 shots in front of the Mercyhurst net. Jen Kemp and Skylar Sarge chipped in defensive saves for good measure, as the Lakers defense faced 15 shots on goal on the afternoon.
 
At the other end of the field, the SHU defense was rarely tested, but held when it was. Samantha Maresca (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) stopped the only shot on goal she faced, to notch her fourth collegiate shutout and her first win of the season (1-2). Brayford added a defensive save – the third of her career – to go with her assist.
 
The Pios now head back out of conference for the next five games, beginning on Sunday at Bryant.
Print Friendly Version