FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University field hockey team opened the home portion of their Northeast Conference schedule with an 8-1 win over Merrimack College this afternoon. Emma Radebaugh scored three goals while Alex Senior added a pair of goals in the Stags' victory.

Fairfield found itself behind in this game early on as Merrimack grabbed the lead just five minutes into the contest. Katelyn Bennett pushed the Warriors in front when she was able to deflect a loose ball into the air and past the goalkeeper for the one-goal edge. It didn't take the Stags very long to equalize the game as Carmel Van Dijk converted a pass from Gabby Saxon less than 90 seconds after the Merrimack goal.

Van Dijk was not done in the first quarter as the junior picked up an assist on two more Fairfield goals during the period. The Stags took the lead in the 10^th minute after Alex Senior put her stick on a pass from Van Dijk and redirected the ball into the goal. Fairfield added one more goal in the 13^th minute as Frances Mirabile and Van Dijk used a penalty corner to set up Nora Amme which gave a 3-1 to the home team after the first period.

The Stags added three more goals in the second quarter with the first two coming in less than two minutes off the stick of Emma Radebaugh. Page Lowry was involved in both goals as she set up the first goal at the 19:05 mark and the second in the 21^st minute that provided Fairfield with a comfortable four-goal lead.

Fairfield continued to apply pressure in the circle which provided Gianna Cugino with the chance to score her first goal of the campaign. Erin McGinley picked up the assist, finding Cugino at the top of the circle. The sophomore released a shot to the lower corner that caught the lower corner and sent the Stags into the half with a 6-1 advantage.

Merrimack's defense clamped down in the third quarter and kept Fairfield off the scoreboard during that 15-minute span. After putting up eight shots in each of the first two quarters, the Stags managed only three attempts in the third period. Each goalkeeper needed only to make one save in the quarter.

Fairfield found its scoring prowess once again in the fourth quarter, adding two more goals in the first five minutes of the period. Senior accepted a pass from Pilar Mengotti inside the circle and quickly pushed a shot past the goalkeeper for a 7-1 Fairfield lead. Less than two minutes later, Radebaugh completed her hat trick when she took care of a pass from Nora Amme in the 51^st minute.

Fairfield goalkeeper Payton Rahn played the first 53-plus minutes and made four saves before yielding to freshman Olivia Warchol who completed the match with her first collegiate action. Paige DeGeorge registered seven saves for Merrimack, facing 26 shots during the afternoon.

The Stags will take the pitch next against St. Francis University on the road before returning home for a non-conference match up with intrastate foe Quinnipiac University on Sunday, October 16 for a 1 pm match.