GLENSIDE, Pa. (August 31, 2012): A rare blue moon, rising pink in the eastern sky greeted the Arcadia University field hockey team plus more than 20 alumnae dating back to the class of 1953 on Friday night. As if the ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the newly-renovated Easton Field was not enough to cheer about, the Knights made sure the large crowd went home happy after an exciting 3-2 victory over visiting Richard Stockton College.

Senior forward Marilyn Beatty scored twice while senior forward/midfielder Lauren Altera added a goal of her own in the victory. First-year goalkeeper Mia De Plato was exceptional in net giving up only two goals in her first-ever collegiate game.

AU wasted no time getting acquainted with the new turf, and more importantly the nets, as they took the momentum from the opening ceremony and scored within the first four minutes of the game. Freshman forward Jennie Kamel sent a centering pass to Beatty, who made sure the ball found the back of the net to give Arcadia the 1-0 lead. While the Knights came out strong, the visiting Ospreys did not back down as they responded with a goal off of a stroke from Nikki Moore to knot the score at 1-1 only 8:17 into the game. The rest of the half went back and forth until Altera lifted a ball over Stockton goalkeeper Sara Winters' shoulder and into the top left shelf of the net. The Knights carried the 2-1 lead into halftime.

Arcadia came out of the locker room determined to step up the defensive intensity as they were able to hold the Ospreys scoreless for the initial 27 minutes of the second half. With only eight minutes left in regulation, Richard Stockton freshman Brittany Iveson hit pay dirt with an impressive shot past DePlato to tie the game at two goals apiece.

With less than five minutes on the clock, it seemed inevitable that the game would head to overtime. Yet, while the night sky looked clear enough to see the stars, one star shined brighter than the rest as Beatty took a great pass from Kamel and scored the decisive goal. The game-winner was the second goal of the night for Beatty, who started the night cutting the ceremonial ribbon and ended the night putting the bow on a ground-breaking night for Arcadia.

The Knights will be back in action on Wednesday when they welcome the Aggies of Delaware Valley College to Easton Field for a MAC cross conference showdown at 4 p.m.