Box Score

Lock Haven, Pa. – The Longwood University field hockey squad dropped a 3-1 neutral-site decision to St. Francis University (2-0) in the squad's season opener hosted by Lock Haven University at the Charlotte E. Smith Field on Saturday afternoon. The Lancers (0-1) lone goal was provided by sophomore forward Jessica Diaz | Chesapeake (Western Branch). Longwood returns to action tomorrow, August 26, at 1 p.m. when the team takes on Lock Haven of the Atlantic 10 Conference.

Carissa Makea broke the game open to give St. Francis a 1-0 lead just over 23 minutes into play, when she received a direct pass on a penalty corner and sent a shot to the far post past freshman goalkeeper Margaret Mitchell | Allentown, Pa. (Emmaus).

The Lancers retaliated just over six minutes later, as junior Stacey de Grandhomme | Cape Town, South Africa (Table View) fed a hard pass towards the post, which was deflected on goal by Diaz to knot the game a one a side.

Makea converted on her second penalty corner of the day with less than three minutes left in the first half to send St. Francis into the break with a 2-1 advantage. In the second half of action, Karrine van Rooyen sealed the victory for SFU when she found the back of the net unassisted.

de Grandhomme, Longwood's leading scorer in 2011, led her team with four shots on the day. Junior Anne Pishko | Norfolk (Maury), senior Christina Verhulst | Yorktown (Grafton), freshman Meghan O'Connor | Stafford (North Stafford) and senior Kaity Byrum | Suffolk (Lakeland) notched one shot apiece for LU. Mitchell turned in a complete game performance in goal for the Lancers, making nine saves in her collegiate debut.

Makea led St. Francis with two goals on five shots. Tia Dudukovich tallied two assists in the outing. St. Francis outshot Longwood, 19-7, and tallied more penalty corners, 13-4.