THE BASICS:

• Score: Holy Cross 4, Colgate 1
• Records: Holy Cross (5-3, 1-0 PL); Colgate (0-7, 0-1 PL)
• Location: Worcester, Mass. (Hart Turf Field)
• The Lead: Holy Cross sophomore Maureen Connolly (New Canaan, Conn.), and freshmen Lauren Ineson (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and Emily Loprete (Watertown, Mass.) each recorded a goal and an assist to help lead the Crusaders to a 4-1 triumph over Colgate in Patriot League field hockey action on Saturday afternoon at the Hart Turf Field.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After a back-and-forth opening 10 minutes, Holy Cross broke the stalemate in the 12th minute (11:13). Ineson fed a pass from the right side into the middle of the circle where freshman Jillian May (Barrington, R.I.) redirected it into the back of the cage to put Holy Cross ahead 1-0.
• Just over seven minutes later (17:51) Holy Cross went ahead 2-0, as senior Michelle McNeil (Canton, Mass.) sent a pass across the crease to Loprete who converted from the right side.
• Holy Cross gained the 3-0 lead less than two minutes later (19:35). Off a long pass from Loprete, Connolly gathered the ball on the left side and with one hand, slid her shot through the five-hole of Colgate goalkeeper Maria Krull to put the Crusaders ahead by three.
• Colgate, however, responded in the 22nd minute (21:25), as Whitney Jones cleaned up a rebound in front of the net to make the score 3-1.
• The Crusaders added an insurance goal in the 41st minute (40:17). Connolly sent in a hard shot from the right side to Ineson who was able to tip the ball high into the cage and make the score its final, 4-1.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Holy Cross freshman goalkeeper Megan Inch (Perth, Scotland) picked up her fifth win of the season, as she made four saves in the contest.
• Krull made 10 stops for the visitors.
• Holy Cross held the statistical advantage in total shots (19-8), shots on goal (14-5) and penalty corners (7-5).
• McNeil led all players with four shots on goal, while Connolly had three shots on target.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• With the win Holy Cross moves to 4-0 at home this season, which is it best home record to begin a campaign since 2003.
• The Crusaders' 5-3 overall record is its best start to a season since the 2006 team also started 5-3.
• The goal for Loprete is her sixth of the season, as she leads the team in goals and points (13).
• Connolly recorded her third goal and team-high sixth assist of the year, as she stands second on Holy Cross with 12 points. For her career, she has accumulated nine goals and six assists for 24 collegiate points.
• The goal for Ineson was her third of the season, while May's goal was the first of her career.
• The win for the Crusaders ends a five-game losing streak to Colgate, as the Raiders lead the all-time series, 17-13-1.

UP NEXT:

• Holy Cross returns to action on Tuesday, Sept. 22, when it travels to Hamden, Conn. to take on Quinnipiac at 3:30 p.m.

STAY CONNECTED:

• There are numerous ways to keep connected with the Holy Cross field hockey team. You can follow the team on Twitter @HCrossFH, on Facebook and on Instagram. 
• You can also sign up for email updates for the field hockey team and all of the other 26 Holy Cross varsity sports by clicking here.