FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Although it's only the second game of the season, depth is already becoming a factor for the Fairfield University field hockey team. The Stags opened the home slate with a dominant 5-0 win over the College of the Holy Cross, handing the visitors their first loss in three outings.

However, the team won't have very long to celebrate the win as La Salle University looms on the horizon as the team comes to University Field on Sunday afternoon, beginning the rigors of a Friday-Sunday schedule format that will carry out through most of the season.

"We went pretty far down the bench today which shows the depth that we have this year," Head Coach Jackie Kane said. "That depth will be so important for us when LaSalle comes here on Sunday and as the season continues into conference play."

One example of that depth comes in the person of Alice Pifferi, who worked through her freshman and sophomore seasons. She gained the experience that saw her earn a spot in the starting lineup and also continue to contribute as Coach Kane rotated a bevy of subs throughout the game. And as valuable as those quality minutes are to Pifferi, they may pale in comparison to that moment when she scored her first collegiate goal in the 29^th minute that put the home team in front 4-0 in the second quarter.

"I'm not used to being up on the offensive side so I was a little shocked," Pifferi said. "I wasn't sure if I was able to hit it out of the air but I did and it went in. I was really happy to score the goal."

The Stags took control late in the first quarter after the two teams felt their away the pitch and looked for ways to crack each team's back line. Fairfield solved that puzzle first with a goal in the 13^th minute as Pilar Mengotti finished a penalty corner that started with Catalina Ness and continued off the stick of Noor Hellemans.

"We had a dominate performance at Bryant but had trouble getting the ball into the net," Coach Kane said. "We made a lot of adjustments this week especially with our penalty corners and we were able to finish those set pieces today."

Fairfield doubled its advantage early in the second quarter courtesy of nifty play inside the circle by Konni Hofmann. The junior secured the ball deep in the circle and flicked a shot toward goal that beat the keeper to the lower corner, making the score 2-0 just two minutes into the quarter.

The Stags took advantage of another penalty corner later in the second quarter when Rylee LaLoup posted her second goal in as many games, redirecting a pass from Alex Senior to push the lead to three goals. Pifferi's goal was another deflected shot that was set up by Autumn Bartush with under two minutes remaining in the half, sending the Stags to intermission with a 4-0 edge.

After a scoreless third quarter, Beatrice Lovenich also earned her first collegiate goal when she accepted a pass from Hofmann in the middle of the circle, spun around her defender and beat the goalkeeper to the open right side of the goal.

Goalkeeper Payton Rahn earned the shutout by making three saves off the four shots she faced during the afternoon match. Holy Cross goalkeeper Mia McCloskey made seven stops off Fairfield's 16 shots.

The Stags will return to the pitch on Sunday by hosting La Salle University at University Field. Game time is scheduled for 1 pm.