Field Hockey: Roth's hat trick leads Raiders to first win of 2018

(Franklin, Mass.) The Rivier University Field Hockey kicked off the 2018 season on the right foot as they blanked Dean College this afternoon, 9-0 in a non-conference tilt at Grant Field. The impressive win gives the Raider Field Hockey their first 1-0 start since the 2013 season.

Senior Linsey Roth (Tyngsboro, Mass.) wasted little time in grabbing the lead for the Raiders. The veteran forward slashed a shot past the Bulldog keeper at 2:15. Freshman Lia Yohanan (Andover, N.J.) was credited with the assist on the team's first goal of the season. Eleven minutes later, sophomore Nicole Mansfield (Acton, Mass.) made it 2-0 as she corralled a pass from junior Jaclyn Fraser (Wilmington, Mass.) and found the back of the net. Roth then netted her second goal of the game two minutes later as freshman Maegan Sheehy (Sabattus, Maine) recorded her first collegiate assist on the goal. Sheehy would then make it 4-0 as she registered her first collegiate goal, an unassisted one at 16:48. Roth then capped off her scoring and the hat trick with an unassisted tally at 18:48. Senior Mikayla Ramsdell (Salem, N.H.) rounded out the first half with her first of the season at 24:58 off a pass from Fraser.

Sophomore Michaela Charette (Orrington, Maine) tacked on to the lead in the second half with her first goal of the season at 43:28. Junior Elyssa Delano (Woburn, Mass.) made it an 8-0 lead at 50:29 off a feed from Sheehy and Yohanan netted her first career goal at 65:49 to complete the offensive output for the Raiders.

Senior Emily Foster (West Lebanon, N.H.) earn the win in net as the defense did not allow a shot on net all afternoon. Freshman Katie Olsen (Saugus, Mass.) made her debut with 35 minutes of action in the second half. Dean's Amari Dias allowed all nine goals on 22 shots (13 saves).

Rivier will return to action on Thursday evening as they host Thomas College in another non-conference matchup. Game time is set for 7pm at Raider Field.