WEST HAVEN, Conn. – As the sun set behind the bleachers of Ralph F. DellaCamera Stadium, the New Haven field hockey team heated up as a pair experienced veterans rattled the cage leading to a season-opening 2-1 win over the visiting American International Yellow Jackets. Leading the Chargers on the night was senior Abby Nixon (Wrentham, Mass./King Phillip Regional) who finished with three points on a goal and an assist.

A slow start to the offense lead to a halftime deficit with the Yellow Jackets scoring first. AIC's Morgan Martellio broke the ice on the 2024 season, scoring in the 12th minute, while neither team would find the back of the cage in the second quarter.

At the intermission, the Yellow Jackets held a 5-2 lead in the shot column with the Chargers sophomore goalkeeper Cara Lambert (Sutton, Mass./Sutton Memorial) coming up clutch with four first half saves.

After the break, New Haven's offense stepped up with graduate forward Kat Trammel (Sandy Hook, Conn./Newtown) the first to drill a shot off the back board. Trammel used a pass from senior Abby Nixon (Wrentham, Mass./King Phillip Regional) who recovered a rebound during a scrum in front of the cage with the first shot falling at the base of her stick. After sending the ball across the front of the cage, Trammel finished off the play putting the first tally on the scoreboard for the 2024 campaign.

With timing winding down in the fourth quarter, Nixon would come through again, this time pushing the ball over the line on a cross off her stick, again using a rebound to her credit. The first shot attempt came from sophomore Syndey Moda with the deflection off the Yellow Jackets keeper finding the end of Nixon's stick as she finished off the game-winning goal.

New Haven will play its next three games in the Quaker State as they take on a trio of PSAC teams over a six-day stretch. First on the docket will be a Friday afternoon visit to the Robb Sports Complex and a date with the Shippensburg Raiders.