HTML BOX SCORE

BLOOMSBURG—The Bloomsburg University field hockey team opened its 2015 season on a winning note as it defeated Adelphi University, 1-0, on Friday afternoon at Steph Pettit Stadium in battle of pre-season ranked teams.
 
The game was a defensive battle with strong play from both teams throughout. Early on the Panthers, ranked No. 7, were putting the pressure on the Huskies, ranked No. 9, with five penalty corners in the first six minutes of action. Twice Bloomsburg goalie Lindsay Cassel (Hummelstown/Lower Dauphin) came up with saves, while the other plays resulted in no shots.
 
Bloomsburg had a great scoring chance in the 13^th minute when Sam Peters (Yeagerstown/Mifflin County) took a shot that got behind the Adelphi goalkeeper, but was cleared at the last second by a Panther's defender.
 
The Huskies also put pressure of its own offensively late in the first half with three corner chances, but each time the play was broken up.
 
Bloomsburg finally broke through in the 47^th minute off a penalty corner. Abby Sauder (Mt. Joy/Donegal) started the play with a pass out to Mackenzie Wirth (Thompsontown/Greenwood) who settled the ball, then drilled a hard shot past several Adelphi players into the left corner of the cage.
 
From there the Huskies defense kept the pressure on. Cassel came up with two big saves on back-to-back shots by Adelphi's Molly Cuevas who had two solid shots that were knocked down by Cassel.
 
Then in the final seconds of the game the Panthers were awarded a penalty corner setting up an untimed play. On the play AU's Jamie Ahrens took the pass on the left wing and fired a shot that Cassel kicked clear of the arc to end the game.
 
Cassel finished with 11 saves to earn the win for the Huskies.
 
Bloomsburg, 1-0, will host Pace University on Sunday at 1 p.m.