MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The No. 10 ranked Wesleyan field hockey team was dealt a 4-1 defeat at the hands of No. 24 Hamilton on Saturday afternoon from Hicks Field in the Cardinals' NESCAC opener. Wesleyan (3-1, 0-1 NESCAC) took their first loss of the season while the Continentals (3-1, 1-1 NESCAC) win their second straight.
 
Hamilton jumped out to a 1-0 lead midway through the first quarter when Sammy Higgins lifted a pass to Brighton McMahon deep inside the Cardinals' defensive area. McMahon took one touch before catching Audrey Pace '26 off guard with a lofted shot that went over the goalkeeper's shoulder.
 
The Continentals made it 2-0 early in the second quarter when Claire Tratnyek carried into the circle and towards the end line before sliding in a perfectly place shot inside the far post for her first goal of the season.
 
Just under seven minutes later, Lilly Truchon knocked in a goal on a Hamilton penalty corner to make it 3-0. Morgan Clarke saw her initial shot saved by Pace but the rebound kicked out to Truchon who also scored her first of the season.
 
Wesleyan showed some life in the third quarter when Meera Patel '29 scored the first goal of her career to lower the deficit to 3-1. Georgia Adams '26 carried in towards the near post before passing towards the middle where the ball deflected right to Patel who swept the marker.
 
Hamilton, however, answered right back as Eva Bell deflected in a goal off an initial shot from Sammy Higgins to restore the three-goal margin.
 
Shots favored Hamilton 22-15 (14-7 in shots on-goal) while Wesleyan held a 6-2 edge in penalty corners. Pace played the first half and made five saves while Keira O'Flynn '29 came on at the start of the second half and finished with five saves.
 
Wesleyan is back at home on Tuesday night with a non-conference tilt against Roger Williams at 6:30 PM from Hicks Field.