BOX SCORE

HAMILTON, N.Y. (10/2/10) – The Colgate field hockey team opened its 2010 Patriot League season with a 5-0 loss to Lafayette on Saturday afternoon.

Colgate (3-8, 0-1 PL) saw senior captain Kirsten Lalli (Pound Ridge, N.Y.) pushed aside nine shots, but the Raiders could only manage three of their own in the loss.

The Leopards (4-5, 0-1 PL) got two goals and an assist for five points from Meghan Cicchi, while Lafayette had three others score goals, led by Deanna DiCroce with a goal and two assists. Emily Valeo also added two helpers in the win.

Cicchi got the scoring started for the Leopards off of a penalty corner, nine minutes into the game. She then assisted on Cara Lyons' goal, coming on a corner as well to make it 2-0. Just before the half, Jaclyn White increased the lead to 3-0 with an unassisted score.

DiCroce picked up where the Leopards left off in the first half with her lone goal of the game coming 7:38 into the half. She scored on a fast break after receiving a pass from White. Cicchi closed out the scoring on a penalty corner with DiCroce and Valeo assisting on the play to finish off Colgate by a 5-0 score.

Lafayette had a 24-3 shot advantage and posted 10 penalty corners to four for the Raiders.

Colgate will be back at Tyler's Field this coming Wednesday as Cornell comes to Hamilton for the last non-conference game of the year for the Raiders.