STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The Wagner College field hockey team took down the Sacred Heart Pioneers by a score of 2-0 at the Field Hockey Complex on Friday afternoon.
Graduate student forward Feli Herrero-Martel scored her fifth goal of the season in the final minutes of the opening frame. The Buenos Aires, Argentina native sits second on the roster in goals scored (5) and tied for second in overall points (11).
After a scoreless second quarter, the Seahawks (5-6, 4-0 NEC) held onto a 1-0 lead heading into the half. The Pioneers (4-7, 3-2 NEC) were held to one shot attempt across the first two quarters of action.
During an active third quarter, Wagner took six shots and had four penalty opportunities; meanwhile, Sacred Heart attempted five shots with three penalty opportunities. The Seahawks capitalized when the conference's Defensive Player of the Week sophomore Julia de Leeuw nailed her third score of the year off of a corner.
Senior Victoria Gonzalez-Lopez and freshman Aliya Hassett set up de Leeuw to put Wagner up, 2-0, in the final moments of the third quarter.
Sacred Heart put up seven shots in the fourth, as senior goalkeeper Mia DiGenova made four of her seven saves during the final frame. DiGenova recorded all seven of her saves throughout the second half of the match. The King of Prussia, Pennsylvania native improved her record to 4-2 as a member of the Seahawks. After 60 minutes of action, the Seahawks prevailed by a score of 2-0, for Wagner's third shutout of the year.
As a team, Wagner took 15 shots with nine on target; meanwhile, Sacred Heart attempted 13 shots with seven on cage. The Seahawks earned nine penalty corners compared to the Pioneers' six.
With the win, the Green & White take sole possession of first place in the NEC, sitting with a conference mark of 4-0.
Next up, the Seahawks travel to Rider on Friday, Oct. 16. for a 4:00 p.m. start on Ben Cohen Field.
