CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. – The Villanova University field hockey team posted its first win of the season in a 3-0 shutout against Sacred Heart on Sunday (September 1) at the Conshohocken Proving Grounds.
 
Sophomore goalkeeper Maddi Sears earned the shut out for the Wildcats (1-1), the first of her career. She saved the only shot on goal from the Pioneers (0-2).
 
Offensively for Villanova, captains Sabine de Ruijter, Meghan Mitchell, and Emma Schwarz each scored their first goals of the season. Gemma Lysaght and Raina Smolij each recorded assists on both Mitchell and Schwarz's penalty corner goals.
 
The Wildcats got on the board early with a penalty corner goal just over three minutes into the first quarter. After inserting the penalty corner, Schwarz deflected a rocket from Lysaght into the net to put Villanova on the board, 1-0.
 
Despite putting another seven shots on goal in the second quarter, the 'Cats were held scoreless by Sacred Heart goalie Samantha Maresca, who tied a career-best 14 saves in the game. Villanova took a 1-0 lead into halftime.
 
Each team received just one penalty corner in the third quarter, but neither could convert as the Wildcats remained in the lead heading into the fourth.
 
Less than a minute into the fourth quarter, Villanova received a penalty corner in which Lysaght's shot attempt was deflected into the net by Mitchell, giving the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.
 
Later in the fourth, de Ruijter received a pass from Mitchell in transition leading to an open shot that was saved. De Ruijter then tipped in the rebound for her first goal of the season, putting the 'Cats up 3-0 with 4:02 to play. Villanova held Sacred Heart without a shot down the stretch to seal the win.
 
Sears received the win in goal to improve to 1-1 on the season, while SHU's Maresca fell to 0-2.
 
Mitchell's goal was the 45th of her career, tying her with Sandy Arena (1975-78) for fifth most in program history. De Ruijter's goal was her 33rd, bringing her to 13th most in program history with Jill Basile (1993-96) and Leah Lisausky (2000-03). Smolij recorded her fourth multi-assist game, tied for 12th most in program history.

"I'm extremely proud of our team's response following Friday's game," said head coach Joanie Milhous. "I give a lot of credit to Sacred Heart's goalie (Maresca), she played great today."
 
Up next, the Wildcats will take on Drexel on Friday (Sept. 6) in the second game of the three-game homestand at the Conshohocken Proving Grounds. The game will start at 5 p.m. ET and can be streamed live on FloSports.