MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Facing the reigning National Defensive Player of the Week in goal, the No. 13 ranked Wesleyan field hockey team had their work cut out for them but ultimately the Cardinals prevailed thanks to three second half goals on the way to a 3-0 season-opening win over WPI on Wednesday night from Hicks Field.
 
Going up against a WPI team that recorded back-to-back shutouts in Engineers' first two games of the season, Wesleyan had prime scoring chances turned aside by WPI goalkeeper Myles Lakin all throughout the first half. The Cardinals attempted 18 shots (15 on-goal) in the opening 30 minutes, none of which found the back of the cage.
 
First-year forward Meera Patel '29 had the best chance of the first half as she deflected a pass from outside the circle up towards the upper left corner of the cage. Lakin only had a split second to react and the sophomore goalkeeper got a pad on the ball, deflecting the Patel shot away and out of play.
 
Other chances littered the first half, including a 7-0 advantage for Wesleyan in penalty corners in the second quarter alone, but the game was still scoreless at the halftime break.
 
The Cardinals finally found a breakthrough early on in the third quarter as Marley Procopio '29 carried in towards the end line before centering for Patel. Her shot beat Lakin but was saved off the goal line by WPI defender Eve Martineau. The loose ball then deflected off Lakin's leg to the opposite post where Leila Feldman '28 was waiting to knock in the first goal of the season for Wesleyan.
 
Lakin flashed brilliance once again as she dove to her left several minutes later to deny Emilia Napolitano '29 on a would-be goal in transition.
 
Wesleyan managed to add an insurance goal off the stick of Teddy Tolbert '28 early in the fourth quarter. The ball came to Tolbert just inside the circle who carried to her left before reverse sweeping a shot towards the cage that deflected off the stick of a WPI defender, past Lakin and in to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead with 11:46 remaining.
 
Tolbert then put the game away just under five minutes later when she broke free on the left wing in transition. With the nearest defender coming out to challenge her, Tolbert swept in a perfect centering pass for Georgia Adams '26 who had her defender beat. With Lakin coming out to challenge, Adams dove in and got her stick on the ball first to deflect in her first goal of the season.
 
Shots favored Wesleyan 30-3 (24-2 on-goal) in this one while the Cardinals held a 14-2 advantage in penalty corners. All 20 available non-goalkeepers saw playing time for Wesleyan including spots in the starting lineup for first-years Patel and Procopio.
 
Tolbert led the way for Wesleyan with one goal and one assist while Patel dished out an assist in her first career game. Feldman's goal is the fourth of her career while Adams found the net for the 37^th time in what was her 50^th career appearance.
 
Audrey Pace '26 picked up the win in goal, making two saves before being exiting for Keira O'Flynn '29 with just over six minutes remaining. WPI's Lakin had 21 saves in the contest including 15 in the first half alone.
 
Wesleyan is back in action on Saturday at Noon when the Cardinals play host to Vassar.