LANCASTER, Pa.- The Franklin & Marshall field hockey team (1-0) earned an opening night victory in a chaotic 5-3 matchup against non-conference opponent Susquehanna (0-1).

Caitlin Hoover led the offensive effort with two goals and one assist, while Bella Konchar contributed two goals. Ava Lofgren scored the first goal of the contest, while Hannah Fitzgerald had one assist. Meghan Dole made through stops across the 60 minutes.

Following a quiet opening ten minutes, a through ball from Sophia Sarbanes found Lofgren in space. She beat her marker and delivered a backhanded shot from 15 yards away to the goalkeeper's left. The Diplomats were unable to add to their lead in the remaining five minutes despite three penalty corners and three shots on goal.

After not registering a shot in the first quarter, Susquehanna leveled the scoreline two minutes into the second quarter on a successful penalty corner play that created space at the far post for an unmarked River Hawk. The tie was short lived, as Hoover found Konchar unmarked at the far post with a square pass past the goalkeeper and a few defenders. Hoover added to the lead herself minutes later on a close-range shot thanks to a Hannah Fitzgerald assist. Susquehanna then closed the gap to 3-2 five minutes following that on a recycled shot following a penalty corner to give F&M a one-goal lead through the opening 30 minutes. 

After drawing a penalty stroke early on in the third quarter, Konchar slotted the ball into the cage low and to the keeper's right for a 4-2 lead. Susquehanna took control over the next five minutes, generating three shots before executing on a penalty corner to yet again close the lead to one. Hoover created space before the end of the third quarter after winning the ball off a high press, working past both outpacing her defender and feinting to the goalkeeper's right for a free shot.

Shots were limited in the fourth quarter, with each side generated just a couple.

The Diplomats outshot the River Hawks 14-9 and generated ten shots on goal against six from Susquehanna. Each team drew five penalty corners.

The Diplomats are on the road when they play Messiah on Wednesday, September 3, at 7:00 p.m.