NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Senior captains Angela Cafarelli (Enfield, Conn.) and Kate Gedney (Westbrook, Conn.), along with freshman Ann Berry (Belfast, Maine) each scored a goal to lead the Southern Connecticut State University field hockey team to a 3-1 victory over Franklin Pierce in the 2007 season opener on Tuesday.

The Owls jumped out and controlled the play in the early going before finally cashing in just past the stanza's halfway point. Kim Merritt (Norwalk, Conn.) pushed out a penalty corner to Grace Martha (Cheshire, Conn.), who left the ball just inside the top of the circle. Gedney then stepped up and fired home a shot to give the Owls the lead with 15:41 remaining in the half.

SCSU tacked on another goal in the waning minutes of the half. Franklin Pierce cleared an Owls' penalty corner attempt just outside the circle, but Martha intercepted the bid. She then sent a pass down low to Berry, who was all alone on the side of the net to tuck home the goal.

Cafarelli closed the SCSU scoring with a marker 18:32 into the second half. Teresa Monfredo (Shirley, N.Y.) sent a long pass ahead to Cafarelli – who chased it down and stickhandled around the goalie before shooting into a partially vacated cage.

Freshman goalkeeper Lauren Zarrella (Morris, Conn.) was less than a minute away from a shutout in her first collegiate start, but Franklin Pierce scored a goal with just 38 seconds remaining to spoil the bid.

The Owls are back in action on Thursday night at 7 p.m. when they host American International College in a non-league contest.