ANN ARBOR, Michigan -- A last minute comeback was not enough on Saturday afternoon, as the #24 Red Foxes lost to the #12 University of the Pacific Tigers, 13-9 in the team's first game of the season.
Junior Amanda Amorosa led Marist with two goals, six shots and one steal. Junior Jocelyn McQuade finished the afternoon with one goal, one assist and seven shots, while freshman Katie Tijerina scored her first career goal and recorded her first two career assists to go along with three shots.
Freshman Viktoria Szmodics led the Tigers with four goals two assists and seven shots, while junior Ellen Tiedemann chipped in four goals, one assist and five shots.
The Red Foxes outshot Pacific 31-27, converted on 1-of-2 power play opportunities, committed seven turnovers and had four exclusions. The Tigers converted 3-of-3 power play chances, turned the ball over 10 times and had three exclusions.
Both teams came out strong and it was Pacific who got onto the scoreboard first when Tiedemann scored unassisted just 23 seconds into the game. The lead did not last long however, as Amorosa answered back for the Red Foxes just 17 seconds later, tying the game at 1-1.
Karolina Hlavata gave the Tigers back the lead 18 seconds later off a power play goal but Marist was able to fight back again, scoring three times on first career goals by Tijerina and Susan Cantoni and the second of the afternoon for Amorosa, over the next 2:29 to take a 4-2 lead with just over four minutes remaining in the first period.
Pacific answered right back with three unanswered goals of their own by Szmodics (2) and Rachel Krieger to regain the lead, 5-4, at the end of the opening period.
The second period was all Tigers as Karolina Hlavata (2), Szmodics (2) and Tiedemann scored to take a 10-5 advantage into halftime. Freshman Isabel Leveque scored her first career goal at the 5:41 mark of the period, the lone goal for the Red Foxes in the frame.
Pacific extended their lead to 11-5 off a goal by Tiedemann at the 5:17 mark but back-to-back goals by sophomore Alexa Ovalle and freshman Ariana Singer, the first of her career, trimmed the deficit to 11-7 going into the final period.
Two quick goals by Aelish Guinn and Tiedemann gave the Tigers a 13-7 lead with 6:38 remaining. However, the Red Foxes would not go down easy. McQuade scored at the 4:28 mark off an assist by Singer and redshirt senior Ellie Hoffman scored on the power play, off an assist by McQuade at 1:43, trimming the deficit to 13-9.
However, that was as close as Marist would get as the final buzzer sounded with the score 13-9.
"It was our first game of the season and first collegiate game for half our team" said head coach Natalie Benson. "I'm very happy we had eight people scoring today and were able to play everyone on our bench. A good experience for the team working together and the first part of our journey."
Up next for the Red Foxes is a quick turnaround as they face off against the #7 University of Michigan Wolverines in both team's second game of the Michigan Invite tournament on Saturday at 7:40 PM. Earlier in the day, Michigan beat #15 San Diego State 12-9.
Log on to http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/w-wpolo/spec-rel/wpw-invite-2016.html to follow the live stats during the match.
