PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Relentless offensive pressure broke down host Nazareth University, and The College of Wooster field hockey team did not let up in Saturday's season-opening 5-0 win at NLPA Field.

Wooster (1-0), victorious for the fifth time in its last six lid-lifters, captured a 1-0 lead when sophomore Natalie Katzenmeyer finished a cross feed from senior Maddie Peek in the 12th minute. The Fighting Scots had two great chances to double the advantage before the end of the first period, and already held a 6-0 lead on shots, a margin that grew to 18-1 before halftime.

Senior Delaney Gross's entry feed to the middle just past the 19-minute mark found sophomore Mary Johnson, Wooster's leading scorer from 2022, and the goal-finder chalked one up to make it 2-0.

Wooster simply overmatched Nazareth in the 36th minute, turning pressure-packed defense into offense. Katzenmeyer, who went on to score the goal, intercepted a Nazareth (0-2) clear attempt. That led to three quick shot attempts that were stopped by the Golden Flyers before Katzenmeyer had just enough space to tuck in her second goal of the year between a diving 'keeper, defender, and the post.

Johnson's ability to finish at the cage resulted in a hat trick by game's end. Sophomore Lizzie Hardy stepped in front of a Nazareth pass deep in the Golden Flyers' defensive end, chipped the ball forward to Johnson. Wooster's top forward gathered possession, played the ball around a defender, and slid goal two of the day into the cage. It was Johnson again in the fourth quarter, with the final score of the day coming in the 48th minute. A Nazareth defensive save was played out to in front of the cage, where Johnson tapped it in.

Wooster's shot advantage came in at 35-2, and the Scots were zeroed in on the cage, with 26 of the shots registering on target. Sophomore Cate Barkdoll posted the clean sheet and had one save.

Of note, the shutout marked the first for Wooster in a season opener since 2018. Johnson is the first Scot to have a hat trick since alumna Katie Agatucci's against Oberlin College on October 22, 2021, while Katzenmeyer now has two multi-goal games.

Next, Wooster plays at Bridgewater College (Virginia) (1-0) at 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 9.