DURHAM, NC -- The University of Delaware field hockey team battled back from an early three-goal deficit and rallied to post a 5-4 victory over No. 16 ranked Michigan State in the Blue Hens’ season opener Saturday afternoon in the first round of the Duke University/Champions Tournament at Williams Field.

The Blue Hens (1-0), who received votes in the pre-season STX/College Field Hockey Coaches Association Top 20 poll but were not ranked, won their season opener for the second straight year and avenged a season opening loss to Michigan State back in 2004.

Junior Molly Burke (Pomperaug/Southbury, CT; at right) scored the game-winner off a penalty corner with just 1:38 left to play to lift the Blue Hens to the victory.

Delaware scored four second half goals and got tallies from two freshmen on their way to the victory. The Blue Hens were outshot 23-14 and had just one penalty corner situations to the Spartans’ nine, but made the most of their opportunities.

Michigan State jumped out to a 3-0 lead, scoring all three goals in a span of four minutes and nine seconds. Gwen Riley opened the scoring 11 minutes and 32 seconds into the contest, Ashley Smeltzer followed with a goal just over two minutes later, and Geraldine Raynor connected just under two minutes after that for the 3-0 lead.

The Blue Hens finally got on the board with 5:02 left in the first half when freshman backup Tori Karsten (Oak Park River Forest/River Forest, IL) tipped in a shot by Katie Evans, her first of three assists on the day, for her first career goal to cut the lead to 3-1.

Michigan State upped the lead to three once again just over two minutes into the second half when Floor tallied an unassisted goal for a 4-1 advantage. But it was all Delaware that.

The Hens stormed back to tie the game as Evans’ shot was tipped into the goal by Stephanie Swain (William Penn/Middletown, DE) with 21:26 remaining and Evans scored off a rebound just 64 seconds later. Evans picked up her third assist of the game just under five minutes later as she fed freshman Alexis Esbitt (Sanford/Hockessin, DE) on a breakaway as Esbitt scored her first career goal with 15:52 left to knot the score at 4-4.

Burke completed the comeback when Delaware received its first penalty corner opportunity with just 1:38 left to play. Kaili Kao fed Swain to set up Burke, who fired a shot past MSU goalkeeper Elissa Unger for the game-winner.

Delaware will face No. 3 ranked Duke, which defeated No. 14 Louisville 2-1 in the other first round game Saturday, in the championship game Sunday at 2 p.m.

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