Pleasantville, N.Y. – A pair of goals by Danielle Merante and a Hannah Wyllie tally were the difference in the St. Thomas Aquinas College's 3-0 setback to Pace University on Thursday afternoon at Peter X. Finnerty Field in Pleasantville. The Setters improve to 1-0, while the Spartans fall to 0-1 following the 2021 season opener for both squads.

The teams initially battled through 10 minutes of scoreless hockey, before Danielle Merante would pick up her first of the day on a pass from Jessica Wolfe to make it 1-0 Pace. The slim lead would hold through one quarter of play.

A scoreless second quarter would keep the Spartans close on the scoreboard, only down by one, as the teams would head to their respective sidelines for the halftime break.
 
A majority of the season-opener's action came in the third quarter, with Hannah Wyllie picking up an unassisted goal, followed by Merante's second of the contest on a feed by teammate Cienna Bosher to give the Setters a commanding 3-0 lead.

In the fourth quarter, play largely mirrored the second stanza, which would benefit the home team and Pace would wrap up the match with a 3-0 victory.

Goalie Jessie Hohenstein made 11 saves on the day for St. Thomas Aquinas.

Inside the Box Score
•    12 Spartans saw action in their first regular season match.
•    The Spartans were outshot 19-2 on the afternoon.
•    Adriana Alfisi led the team with a pair shots.
•    Pace held a 12-1 penalty corners advantage over STAC.

Up Next
With its 2021 debut in the books, STAC will now travel to Pennsylvania for a weekend matchup with Millersville University on Saturday, September 4. Opening faceoff is set for 12pm.