Cedar Crest College Athletics

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — The Cedar Crest College field hockey team dropped its season opener to King's College (Pa.), 2-0, on Wednesday night at McCarthy Stadium.

The Falcons generated two first-quarter shots, both cleared on defensive saves by senior Allie Chocallo (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.). Cedar Crest also kept the Monarchs off the board, with senior Reagan Ferst (Hazleton, Pa./Hazleton Area) recording a defensive save in the final seconds before the quarter ended 0-0.

In the second stanza, the Falcons generated the first two recorded shots, but King's kept both out with a goalkeeper save and a defensive save. Senior Shelby Heater (Lehighton, Pa./Lehighton Area) made a save at 24:43, and classmate Carly Piciullo (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) added a defensive save after a Monarchs' penalty corner as the teams reached halftime in a 0-0 game.

Cedar Crest fell behind in the third quarter when first-year Gwen Erb (Orangeville, Pa.) scored for King's off an assist by senior Melanie Tlatenchi (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) at 40:46, making it 1-0. Heater kept the Falcons within reach with four saves in the frame, and Ferst added another defensive save after a later Monarchs' penalty corner. The Falcons' main attacking sequence came earlier on back-to-back penalty corners by senior Courtney Gibbons (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) and a Gibbons shot wide before entering the fourth trailing 1-0.

King's scored on a penalty stroke by senior Davina Krappa (Duryea, Pa.) at 48:06, putting Cedar Crest down 2-0 in the final quarter. The Falcons earned a penalty corner from Gibbons at 51:04 but could not cut into the deficit. Heater made two saves in the final minute, and Cedar Crest fell 2-0.

For the Falcons, Heater recorded seven saves over 60 minutes in goal. Ferst posted two defensive saves while Piciullo added one defensive save.

Erb scored the game-winning goal and put two of her three shots on goal for King's. Krappa converted her penalty-stroke attempt and finished with a goal on three shots on goal. Chocallo recorded three defensive saves and added a shot on goal. First-year Tierney Hogan (Hatboro, Pa.) played all 60 minutes in goal, allowing no goals and making one save.

Cedar Crest (0-1 overall) hosts Eastern Mennonite University in its home opener on Friday, September 4, at 4:00 p.m. King's (1-0 overall) stays home to face Immaculata University on Saturday, September 5 at 1:00 p.m.