COLUMBUS, OH -- The University of Delaware field hockey squad opened the 2007 season in dominating fashion as the Blue Hens overpowered host and No. 13 ranked Ohio State in the first round of the Buckeye Classic Saturday at the OSU North Turf Field.

Junior Amy Brewer (at right) scored her first career goal and added an assist, sophomore Rae Everson tallied her first career goal, and Alexis Esbitt and Molly Burke also scored to lead the Blue Hens (1-0) to the one-sided victory. Junior goalkeeper Nikki Rhoades posted five saves to record her second career shutout.

Delaware, which received votes in this year’s pre-season STX/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Top 20 poll, posted its biggest win margin in a game since downing Lafayette on Sept. 18, 2005 and defeated its highest ranked opponent since a 2-1 win over then No. 8 Old Dominion in the 2004 Colonial Athletic Association Tournament. The Hens avenged a 2-1 loss to Ohio State last year in Newark, DE.

Ohio State, coached by former Blue Hen All-American Anne Wilkinson, entered the season No. 13 in the NFHCA poll after being ranked No. 5 in the final 2006 poll after advancing to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals. The Buckeyes outshot Delaware 10-8 but the Blue Hens took advantage of their limited opportunities.

Delaware opened the scoring late in the first half as Alexis Esbitt took a feed from Brewer and scored with 8:01 left in the stanza for a 1-0 Delaware lead.

The Blue Hens outscored OSU 3-0 in the second half as Everson scored her first career goal with15:48 left in the second, tapping in a long pass from Kim Schlezes past Buckeye goalkeeper Lindsay Quintiliani. Delaware then made it 3-0 with 9:34 left as Burke scored her 17th career goal after taking a crossing pass from Tori Karsten. Brewer closed the scoring with just 2:48 left to play as she took a feed from junior Casey Howard and scored in the left side of the net.

Delaware will continue play in the Buckeye Classic Sunday as the Hens take on Kent State at 11:30 a.m. Ohio State will take on Bucknell in the final game of the tournament at 2:30 p.m.

Boxscore