FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Fairfield University field hockey improved to 8-1 today as they continued their best start to a season they have ever had with a 5-0 shutout of Lehigh on University Field.  They have also tied the 2000, 2001 and 2013 field hockey teams for most consecutive wins in a season at six. 
 
Fairfield put the pressure on early, earning two penalty corners just four minutes into the game.  On the second corner, Danielle Profita took the corner passing it directly to Emma Matlach who put the shot in from the top of the circle for her fifth goal of the season and fifth goal in five games. 
 
The Stags would make it a 2-0 lead less than 10 minutes into the game as Cassie Hughes pushed the ball down the field and sent a pass through the center to Kaley McMullen who put it in for her fourth goal of the season. 
 
Fairfield piled on in the first half as Emma Matlach pushed the ball on a breakaway and passed it from the top of the circle to Danielle Profita who redirected the ball passed the goalie and into the goal to give the Stags a 3-0 lead.  This was Profita's fourth goal of the season.  The Stags defense would hold the shutout going into halftime. 
 
Fairfield did not let up in the second half as Kaley McMullen sent a pass to the center of the circle where Danielle Profita was waiting to make a quick move passed the goalie and put the ball into the back of the net for her fifth goal of the season and second of the game. The Stags scored this goal just four minutes into the half and they were down a player as Cassie Hughes was given a green card about a minute beforehand.
 
Two minutes later, the Stags were awarded a penalty corner.  Profita sent the pass to the top of the circle where Sam Giordano slapped a shot into the back of the goal to extend the Fairfield lead to 5-0.  This was Giordano's third goal of the season. 
 
Caitlin Gilligan and the Fairfield defense would hold the 5-0 lead to seal the Stags win.  Gilligan ended the game with two saves on the day. 
 
Fairfield took 16 shots and 10 on goal while Lehigh only took seven shots with 2 of them on goal.  The Stags also took five penalty corners to the Mountain Hawks three. 
 
"It was another great team effort" said Head Coach Jackie Kane. "I asked all of the girls to give a thousand percent and they did. It was our fifth game in ten days, so to be able to produce this type of result is really a show of our character and grit."
 
The Stags will have a well-deserved break before they begin MAAC play at Sacred Heart on Friday, September 28 at 12 P.M.