Wildcats defeated in Home Opener 6-0 to Marywood University

CHICOPEE, Mass. –

The Bay Path University field hockey team fell to visiting Marywood University, 6-0, in their 2015 season opener Saturday afternoon at Elms College. The Wildcats drop to 0-1 on the season, while Marywood evens their record at 1-1.After five scoreless minutes opened play, the Pacers cracked the scoreboard as senior Leanne McManus (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) gathered a loose ball on the right side of the scoring zone, and ripped a shot inside the far post, staking Marywood to a 1-0. Pacers sophomore Tori Jo Kakusian (Vestal, N.Y.) picked up a loose ball in the 19th minutes and fired a shot into the upper right corner of the net, making it a 2-0 game. Marywood created separation on the scoreboard in the 30th minute of play as Kakusian and McManus scored back-to-back goals in a two-minute span to send Marywood into the break with a 4-0 lead over Bay Path.

The Wildcats held the Pacers off the scoreboard for more than 30 minutes of action until McManus broke the Marywood drought with a put-back goal at the 6:17 mark of the second half. The Pacers' final tally came as junior Gabbie Brower (Erin, N.Y.) beat Wildcats senior goalkeeper Anna Meyer (Millbrook, N.Y.) on a penalty stroke in the 68th minutes, securing the 6-0 win for Marywood.The Pacers dominated the shot column, 49-1, during the contest. Meyer made a game-high 31 saves, while Marywood freshman goalie Nicole Merrill (Danville, Pa.) stopped the lone shot she faced on the day.

The Wildcats will return to action when they open up New England Collegiate Conference play at Regis College Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.