The New Haven field hockey team continued their impressive start to the season on Sept. 22 with a 2-0 win over No. 9 American International College.

After a quiet first quarter for the offense, the Chargers came out firing in the second. The offensive onslaught sported eight shots on goal, with two of them finding the back of the net. Senior Alexis Rider was the first to get the Chargers on the board, as she drew in the Yellow Jackets defense and slipped a shot past the goalie.

Another senior, Taylor Geaglone, fired a shot from the 15-yard line past American International to put the Chargers up 2-0 in the second quarter. This proved to be more than enough as the New Haven defense stepped up as they have done all year.

They were led by graduate student and goalkeeper Keira Integlia, who was not forced to make a single stop all game and collected her third shutout of the year. After the team’s first two games of the season, Integlia and the defense have only allowed two goals in their last five games. Over this period, the Chargers are 4-1.

The victory marks a major step for the relatively new program: it was their first win over a ranked opponent. In their fourth season as a varsity sport, the Chargers have become a competitive program in the Northeast-10 (NE10).

With the win, New Haven improves their record to 4-3 (4-0 NE10) and bolsters their resumé. The Chargers have navigated a strong schedule so far this season, with four total games against ranked opponents. Their most recent was a 1-0 loss against No. 2 West Chester University, another display of the team’s defensive prowess. Despite a 1-3 record against ranked opponents, the Chargers have still looked strong against some of the best teams in the country.

American International falls to 5-3 (3-2 NE10), with their next match coming against Mercy College on Sept. 24.

The Chargers return to Ralph F. DellaCamera Stadium on Sept. 26 as they face another ranked opponent, the out-of-conference No. 10 Bloomsburg University. More information, live stats and a broadcast for the game can be found at NewHavenChargers.com.