SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Slippery Rock University field hockey team scored early and often on the way to a 6-1 season-opening victory against Saint Thomas Aquinas on Sunday in Springfield, Massachusetts.
 
Slippery Rock (1-0) put the contest away with five first-half goals before capping off its offensive explosion with a final strike in the game's final minute.
 
SRU scored two quick goals in the first 10 minutes. Saint Thomas Aquinas (1-2) responded with a score of its own, but SRU promptly put any thoughts of a comeback to rest with four unanswered goals to end the game.
 
The freshmen duo of Lauren Marks and Jessie Trube began their collegiate careers in grand fashion Sunday with two goals each. In addition to their scoring prowess, Trube and Marks also tied for the team lead in shots with four.
 
Sophomore Courtney Page scored one goal and assisted on another while as did sophomore Abby McKay. Sophomore Kayla Ulrich, who was an All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference honoree as a freshman, posted her first points of the year with a pair of assists.
 
Rock goalies sophomore Maddie Murphy and freshman Hannah Nurse evenly split time Sunday. Murphy started the game, stopping three shots with one goal allowed. Nurse took over in the second half, but did not face a shot as a stout Rock defense kept the Spartans from recording an attempt in the final 35 minutes.
 
For the game, Slippery Rock held advantages over Saint Thomas Aquinas in total shots (17-5) and shots on goal (11-4). The Spartans held a narrow 5-3 lead in corners.
 
Slippery Rock returns to action 1 p.m. Monday at American International College.
 
NOTES
• SRU has now won its last three season-openers.
• Slippery Rock's six goals are tied for the most goals scored in a game by The Rock in the last 16 years. SRU also scored six goals against Mansfield University (2010, 2015) and American International (2012)
• Sunday marked the first time Slippery Rock scored five goals in a half since recording five scores in the second half against Mansfield during the 2010 season.
• In the last decade no two Slippery Rock freshmen have scored two goals in the same game.
• A win against American International would give SRU a 2-0 start for the 10th time in program history.
• Ulrich's two assists gives her 26 career points, already the 16th most in program history.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• 1:05: Courtney Page from Kayla Ulrich (Put in rebound after initial shot was saved) SRU 1 – STA 0
• 4:44: Jessie Trube (Off of rebound) SRU 2 – STA 0
• 9:02: Briannah Thorne from Jacqueline Dowling (Pass through the legs for one timer from top) SRU 2 – STA 1
• 9:50: Abby McKay from Kayla Ulrich (Pass from right by defender to open player in front) SRU 3 – STA 1
• 19:07: Lauren Marks (Put in own rebound after cross pass through legs of defender) SRU 4 – STA 1
• 22:16: Lauren Marks from Courtney Page (Pass up right side, then into circle for cross to left post) SRU 5 – STA 1
• 69:18: Jessie Trube from Abby McKay (Put in rebound after initial shot) SRU 6 – STA 1