The College of Wooster field hockey team tuned up for its North Coast Athletic Conference opener with a challenging non-league match-up on Sunday morning, falling to a strong Rhodes College squad by a 9-0 count as part of the St. Jude Classic in Memphis, Tenn.

Rhodes (2-1) scored on its initial shot of the game, then Danielle Slichenmyer of Wooster (1-2) helped keep things close for a while as the senior 'keeper made two of her eight first-half saves before the host Lynx struck again. Rhodes went on to a 5-0 halftime lead.

In the second, the Fighting Scots nearly got on the scoreboard when first-year Claire Russ drove the ball past the goalie, but a back was there at the goal line to stop her shot and preserve the shutout.

Slichenmyer wound up with a career-high 15 saves.

The challenging game should prepare Wooster well for Wednesday when it visits defending conference champion Kenyon College (2-1, 1-0 NCAC).