READING, Pa.- The Juniata field hockey team started its 2015 season on the road Tuesday night against Alvernia. The result did not go in the Eagles favor as the Knights came away with a 3-1 win.

"As a coach I am never happy with a loss, said head coach Caroline Gillich afterwards. "We play to win. Alvernia made the most of their opportunities. Two of our three goalies got action today and did a great job back there coming up with some huge saves." 

Kylie Edwards (Danville, Pa./Danville) made her first career start in the cage for Juniata. She faced nine shots on the night and came up with six saves.

The Knights struck first in the 17^th minute. Melanie Lowry passed to Summer Liberto who slotted the ball past Edwards and in for the score to put the home team ahead 1-0.

Juniata knotted it all up in the 32^nd minute. Brittany Meier (Pennsylvania Furnace, Pa./State College) was awarded a penalty stroke and she fired a shot past the outstretched arms of Knight goaltender Rebecca Brosious. Meier had a chance to give the Eagles the lead on another penalty stroke, but Brosious swiped away the shot and the score remained tied.

For over 21 and a half minutes of the second frame, Alvernia outshot Juniata 5-2 with Edwards coming up with three big saves. In the 57^th minute, the Knights broke the stalemate with a goal by Hailey Knowlten.  Margaret Wentzel added a score at 64:52 to increase the Knight lead to 3-1.

The Eagles applied pressure in the Alvernia zone in the final minutes of the contest to try to chip away at the deficit. A pair of shots by Meier along with one by Sarah Bilheimer (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) were all deflected by Brosious.

Meier had four shots in the game with all of them coming on goal. The Knights edged the Eagles 11-8 while Juniata had an 8-7 edge in penalty corners.

"In our first game we saw some great things and lots to work on," said Gillich. "We have so many players that are ready to play this season; its a matter of finding our best game and it may take a little for us to become JCFH 2015. We have speed, attack, knowledge and so much more. We are going to focus more on our attack in the last 30 and last 16 yards to goal so we can increase our scoring opportunities and goal scoring. We have only just begun."

Juniata hosts its home opener this Friday night against Bridgewater (Va.). Game time from Knox Stadium will be at 7 p.m.