MONTCLAIR, N.J. - The No. 12 Franklin & Marshall field hockey team (4-0) earned their fourth-straight victory to begin the 2026 season, putting five goals past Montclair State (1-3) in the first half alone of Saturday's 6-0 victory.
Caitlin Hoover notched her seventh career hat-trick and second of 2026.
Megan Dadio posted one goal and an assist.
Sarah Weitzman recorded her first career goal, while
Molly Donadoni also had one goal.
Maya Rorick,
Ava Lofgren, and
Hannah Fitzgerald chipped in one assist apiece. The defense allowed just six shots and three shots on goal, while the goalkeeping trio of
Meghan Dole,
Sara Davis, and
Maddie Kryzak combined for the shutout. Kryzak had two saves, while Davis made one stop.
Weitzman's goal opened the scoring for F&M in the seventh minute. Dadio's penalty corner was injected to Weitzman on the near side and fired past the goalkeeper from the edge of the circle.
Hoover doubled the Diplomats' advantage less than a minute later off Rorick's cross into the circle, as Hoover dribbled away from her marker to create space before shooting a backhanded goal to the left of the goalkeeper.
Donadoni scored the first of three goals in the second period, as Lofgren won a ball passed into the circle by Hoover, and passed to Donadoni on the left side of the circle for a shot that got past both the goalkeeper and a defender at the near post. Hoover scored her second goal just seconds later, driving into the circle via a Fitzgerald pass and shooting just inside of the goalkeeper's far post from eight yards away. Dadio made it 5-0 just two minutes later, spinning past her defender into space and slotting through the keeper's legs from 15 yards away.
Hoover completed her hat-trick midway through the third period. Lofgren's backhanded pass was deflected before reaching Hoover in front of goal. Her movement to the near post shifted the keeper off her feet, and she was able to find a gap by lifting the ball over the keeper for the sixth and final goal of the day.
The Diplomats outshot Montclair State 17-6 and 15-1 through the first three periods, while 16 of the F&M's shots were put on target. F&M held a 9-7 penalty corner advantage.Â
The Diplomats travel to Reading to face Alvernia on Wednesday, September 16, at 4:00 p.m.
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