Box Score

INDIANA, PA - Superb defense and goals from five different Crimson Hawks were keys to success as the eighth-ranked IUP field hockey team rolled to a 6-2 victory over Mercyhurst in the team's Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) and home opener Wednesday.

The Crimson Hawks were hot from the opening whistle Wednesday, as newcomer Nicole Bruce (Clarks Summit/Lackawanna Trail) rebounded her own shot and fired it past the Mercyhurst goalkeeper to give IUP an early 1-0 lead just 2:56 into the game. The Lakers would knot the game at 1-1 at the 14:57 mark when Meghan Smith scored off of a penalty corner, but the game would not stay tied for long.

IUP would regain the lead less than six minutes later when Paige Mosner (Newton, NJ/Newton) redirected a pass from Kate Bruce to give the Crimson Hawks a 2-1 lead with just over 21 minutes to play. Chelsea Wanamaker (Oley, Pa./Oley Valley) would extend the lead to two just 28 seconds later when she took a nifty pass from Nicole Bruce (Clarks Summit/Lackawanna Trail) and buried the goal with 13:24 to play in the period.

With time running out in the first half, Anouk Sickman (Antwerp, Belgium/Lazac Cellepe) sent the Crimson Hawks into the break on a high note when she scored with just 59 seconds remaining. As a team, IUP outshot Mercyhurst 12-5 in the first half. Goalkeeper Sarah Lemieux (Dublin, OH/Dublin Coffman) played a superb first half, allowing just one goal in 35 minutes of action.

The score would remain at 4-1 for much of the second half until Casey McGowan (Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks South) deposited a penalty shot to give the Crimson Hawks a 5-1 lead with just over 20 minutes to play in the game.

The Lakers would trim the lead to three when Tesa Ramsdell scored at the 65:23 mark, but Mosner would tally her second goal of the game on a beautiful give-and-go with Nicole Bruce (Clarks Summit/Lackawanna Trail) with less than two minutes to play to salt away the victory.

Bruce finished with a goal and two assists for the Crimson Hawks, while Mosner had a game-high two goals. Brittany Varacallo (New Britain/Central Bucks South) played the entire second half in the cage for IUP and had four saves.

The Crimson Hawks are back in action this Saturday when they host Millersville in  their inaugural "Black Out" game at Miller Stadium. Game time is set for 1:00 p.m.