Alyssa Fania	Cassie Mullen
Krista Mundy

Box Score

SCRANTON, Pa.—Junior midfielder Alyssa Fania (Annandale, NJ/North Hunterdon) converted a penalty stroke for a goal with less than three minutes remaining to lift The University of Scranton field hockey team to a 2-1 victory over Muhlenberg College in its season opener Friday evening at Fitzpatrick Field.

The Royals also received an unassisted goal from junior forward Cassie Mullen (Chester Springs, Pa./Villa Maria Academy), who followed up a shot off of a scramble on a penalty corner to tie the game at 1-1 in the 46th minute of the second half.

Muhlenberg, which defeated the Royals 2-1 in overtime in last year’s season opener in Allentown, got on the scoreboard first when junior forward Kaleigh Thies (North Caldwell, NJ/West Essex) drilled a shot into the right corner of the goal in the 43rd minute after taking a pass from junior forward Samantha Swire (Robbinsville, NJ/Robbinsville) on a penalty corner.

Scranton did have its opportunities to get on the scoreboard, but missed a penalty stroke in the first half and failed to cash in on a late green-card violation, which resulted in the Mules playing without their goalkeeper for two minutes.   The Royals got only one shot off toward the goal during the time Muhlenberg played without its keeper.

Royal junior goalkeeper Krista Mundy (North Caldwell, NJ/West Essex) made four saves to pick up the win, the 10th of her career, while Muhlenberg junior Sierra Lenker (Camp Hill, Pa./Cedar Cliff) stopped seven shots.

Scranton will return to action on Wednesday, September 4, against Misericordia University at 7:00 p.m. at Fitzpatrick Field.

News & Notes:  The Royals have won three of their last four season openers…Fania’s goal was the 12th of her career and the third game-winning goal of her career…Muhlenberg leads the all-time series with Scranton, 7-5, but the Royals have won three of the last four meetings…Mundy is now 10-5 in goal in her career…Mullen’s goal the eight of her career…Scranton held a 24-12 advantage in shots and a 15-10 margin in penalty corners in tonight’s game…the win was the 77th for ninth-year head coach Colleen Moyer.

--ROYALS--