GAMBIER, Ohio - In a down-to-the-wire match, the Kenyon College field hockey team secured victory against the visiting Centre College Colonels with a decisive goal late in the game. Although Centre outshot Kenyon 18-8, the Ladies found the back of the cage when it mattered and went on to claim a 1-0 win in what was the season-opening contest for both teams.

Freshman Sarah Metzmaier snagged the game winner in her first collegiate match. With just under eight minutes to play in the game, sophomore Tara Shetty made a crisp, left-to-right pass to Metzmaier, who tapped the ball in for the score.

The Colonels attempted to rally in the final 7:30 of the game. They fired off seven shots and had four penalty corners in that time, but the Kenyon defense stymied every attempt, including a penalty corner as time expired.

Before Metzmaier's goal, the Ladies had seen several opportunities to score slip through their fingers. With 21:13 left, Gigi Guenther's back-handed shot hit the Centre post. About five minutes later, Metzmaier got loose on a breakaway, only to be upended by Centre goalkeeper Kristen Mulcahy before she could attempt a shot.

On the other side of the field, the Colonels managed to put more shots on frame (9) than Kenyon's total shots. Junior Savannah Elpers led the Centre blitz, racking up five shots, three of them on goal.

In a stalwart performance, Kenyon goalie Maddie Lockyer made nine saves to keep the clean sheet and nail down the victory. In the opposite frame, Mulcahy made four saves.

With their first win under their belt, the Ladies take to the road for their next contest. They'll travel to Washington and Lee University on Sept. 2 to face off against the Generals at noon.