Box Score

IMMACULATA, Pa.- The Immaculata field hockey team got their 2014 season started in fine fashion on Friday afternoon at Draper Walsh Stadium with a 1-0 victory over the visiting Widener University Pride (0-1).  Senior Ashley O'Donnell scored the game-winner with just over 18 minutes to go in the game to give the Mighty Macs (1-0) the season-opening victory.
 
Widener controlled the pace of play early as the Pride had possession for a large portion of the first half and it showed in the stats as the Pride had seven shots in the opening 35 minutes compared to just four for the Mighty Macs.  They also added five corners to just one for IU, but sophomore goalkeeper Sarah Pasternak came up with four big first half saves to keep Widener off the scoreboard early.
 
Senior Danielle Lopez and sophomore Haley O'Donnell were also very active defensively in helping to keep Widener off the board.
 
In the second half, the Mighty Macs dominated Widener as they outshot them 12-1 and had five corners while Widener just had one themselves.  Immaculata had several chances early in the half, but a few shots sailed just wide or were saved off the sticks of junior Patsy Murphy (three shots) and sophomore Brittany Robertson (four shots).
 
With just over 18 minutes to go, the Mighty Macs had a corner and senior Tiffany Lockfeld put the ball in play, right onto the stick of Ashley O'Donnell who ripped a shot past the keeper for the decisive goal that lifted the Mighty Macs to their first win over Widener in their last six season openers.
 
The defense held the rest of the way and Immaculata started 1-0 for the first time in a decade.  The shutout by Pasternak was the second of her career.
 
The Mighty Macs will look to make it a 2-0 start as they host Wesley on Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m. at Draper Walsh Stadium.