TROY, N.Y. – Sophomore Katie Muese had a goal and an assist to lead the Hartwick College field hockey team to a 2-1 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in the first game of the season for both teams.
 
The game was scoreless for the first 26:20 when Meuse, an attack, carried the ball down the right side and inside the circle. She sent it midair across the crease to senior Bella Wheeler, who collected the pass off the turf and tapped it into the cage.
 
The Hawks had a strong chance to gain the lead minutes earlier when Sydney Gagnon's shot from the left side was saved. The ball caromed to Wheeler, who backhanded a shot that was ticketed for the top left corner but instead was knocked down by senior Claire Schmittinger.
 
Muesse made it 2-0 when she brought the ball down the right side to the goal line, where she slid it under Marissa Florio, who came out to challenge, with 12:43 to play in the fourth quarter.
 
RPI pulled to within a goal with 2:41 left in the quarter when Lauren Roy took a pass from Brianna Duba and scored from just inside the circle on the right side.
 
Hartwick goalkeeper Allyson Osborne held the Engineers off the board from that point on and finished with six saves. Florio, who played the second half, stopped three shots, while starter Jen Richardson stopped six shots in the first 30 minutes.
 
The Engineers are right back on the field on Saturday afternoon when they play at No. 13 Montclair State (2pm). The Hawks play next on Wednesday at home against Oneonta (5pm).