OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Stevenson field hockey used a four-goal outburst in the first half, and a hat trick from sophomore Brooke Morris to hold off a second-half charge from the visiting Virginia Wesleyan University Marlins to win the season opener 6-3 on Friday afternoon at Mustang Stadium.

• Stevenson (1-0) came strong in the first minute as senior Sara McVey forced a saved out of Marlins (0-1) keeper Skye Swain just 31-seconds in.  She then opened the scoring with 5:44 off the clock when she caused a turnover and broke in all alone on Swain slipping it by her for a 1-0 lead.
• Just five minutes later the Mustangs were back on the scoresheet when a shot from McVey was turned away the rebound kicked out to sophomore Brigid Saroch who slipped a pass to Morris for her first of the day. 
• Swain continued to be busy in the cage for Virginia Wesleyan denying a pair of shots from McVey and a solo from Morris, before finally succumbing again in the 18th minute as she tipped the McVey attempt pass Swain to make it 3-0. 
• Then, with twelve minutes to go Morris scored her second of the game deflecting a shot from junior Ashli Glatfelter off a penalty corner. 
• The Marlins got their only shot of the half in the 26th-minute that was turned away by junior backstop Kelsey Eure.
• Stevenson held a 12-1 shot advantage at the break.

• Virginia Wesleyan came out of halftime fired up as they got right back into the game using a five-minute span to pick up three goals from Janine De Perio and a pair from Emily Price to bring the deficit to 4-3 with just ten minutes to go. 
• The Mustangs put an end to the Marlins rally with Saroch setting up two goals in the span of a minute.  First, from the top of the attack area, she sent a pass to McVey who pounded it behind Swain for a 5-3 lead.  Then, running down the left side she found a cutting Morris who completed her hat trick with a rocket past the keeper.
• Virginia Wesleyan flipped the script on Stevenson in the second 35-minutes as they outshot the hosts 8-3.

• It was the Mustangs second straight season with a victory in the Home Opener after beating McDaniel last season.
• The last time Stevenson scored six or more came in a win versus Hood on October 16, 2016, when they put up seven in a shutout.
• For Morris, it was her first three goals in Mustangs uniform.
• McVey now has 28 goals as a member of the Mustangs
• Eure turned away five Marlins shots for the win.
• The home side held a ten to seven edge in penalty corners.

McVey netted her second goal of the game and Saroch dished out her second assist to make 5-3 Mustangs.

Head coach Laurel Martin and sophomore Brooke Morris.

• Stevenson returns to action on Sunday, September 2nd when they travel to St. Mary's College (Md.).  Start time between the Mustangs and the Seahawks is set for 1pm.
• The team then returns home Wednesday, September 5th when they welcome in fifth-ranked Salisbury University at 7pm.