WINCHESTER, Va. – The Shenandoah University field hockey team opened the Ashley Smeltzer era in style Friday afternoon with a 7-0 non-league victory over Wilson College.
SU (1-0) scored a pair of first half goals and then got two tallies 59 seconds apart early in the second to clinch the victory over the Phoenix (0-1).
Junior Ashley Cross got the hosts started in the 10th minute with an unassisted goal. The Agawam, Mass. native did all of the work herself, intercepting a pass 20 yards from goal and finding herself one-on-one with the keeper, slid it past Gina Weigold for the opening tally of the season.
In the 22nd minute, senior Liz Grover gave the Hornets some breathing room by converting a Kelani Bailey pass from right on the doorstep.
Junior Sarah Wohld and sophomore Presha Merritt then made the final 22 minutes academic with those two quick goals in the 48th and 49th minutes.
Wohld completed a scrum right in front of the WC goal while Merritt ripped her shot from seven yards out.
Sophomore Lauren Kesler, freshman Taylor Little and sophomore Lauren Mills, the last off of a Sarah Brock assist, had the remaining tallies.
Senior goalkeeper Sarah Clare had to make just one save just more than 63 minutes of action to earn the win.
Shenandoah took all but two of the game's 28 shots.
The squad is back in action on Tuesday with a non-league contest at Hood.
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