Field Hockey Opens Season with Shutout Victory over Regis

Framingham, Mass. – Powered by a pair of goals and an assist from junior forward Kaitlyn Ranieri (Bellingham, Mass.) the Framingham State University field hockey team opened the 2012 season at home this afternoon with a 3-0 shutout victory over Regis College.     

Framingham State beings the season 1-0, while the Pride are now 0-2 after falling in their opener on Saturday afternoon.

The Rams took the lead for good just over five minutes into the game on Ranieri's first marker.  Junior Kelli Timmins (Dedham, Mass.) fed Ranieri in the circle and she placed a shot in the back of the net.

Framingham State extended the lead to 2-0 with ten minutes remaining in the half when they converted one of their seven penalty corners in the game.  Ranieri inserted the ball to senior Cali Tetreault (New Bedford, Mass.) and Tetreault laid the ball off to sophomore Emma Littlefield (Rockport, Mass.).  Littlefield fired a shot on the goal from the top of the circle that Ranieri redirected into the cage for her second of the game.

The Rams, who outshot the Pride 11-7 in the contest, added an insurance marker late in the second half when Ranieri fed the ball to junior Cassandra Koegel (Groveland, Mass.) and Koegel connected on her first of the season to reach the final margin of 3-0.

Senior Sarah Ryan (Uxbridge, Mass.), who stopped a pair of Pride scoring chances off corners late in the game, picked up the shutout win in goal for the Rams making five saves.  Freshman Raegan Heck (Phillipston, Mass.) was tagged with the loss for the Pride allowing two goals and making a single save while junior Morgan Mitchell (Ashburnham, Mass.) came on relief and made five stops.

The Rams return to action on Saturday when they begin conference play hosting Worcester State at 1 p.m., while the Pride travel to Lasell on Thursday at 4 p.m.