Saint Louis, MO - The Lincoln Memorial field hockey team traded the soggy Harrogate scenery for sun-soaked Saint Louis on Saturday, opening the 2026 season with a road test against a familiar foe. The Railsplitters were on the road against Maryville University for the first game of the season. Lincoln Memorial earned its best season in program history last year, claiming three wins throughout the season, all in a row. The significance of game one comes from the fact that the three-game winning streak from last season began at home with the Saints. The Railsplitters took down Maryville University for the first home win in program history in 2024. Now, with a very young team, in her second season, head coach Marnie Reidell has coached her team to another program milestone. With a 3-2 win on Saturday, Lincoln Memorial secured its first ever victory in a season opener. This also marks the start of the first series streak for the Railsplitters, now with back-to-back wins against the Saints.

Lincoln Memorial leaned on their veteran players from the rip. The teams battled on even footing in the first quarter, but it was evident early on that the Railsplitters are implementing a more fervent offensive attack this season. Lincoln Memorial fired off six shots in the first quarter, while Maryville added five of its own. Neither team was able to find any offensive success in the first period, seeing the scoreless game drip slowly into the second quarter. However, the Railsplitters refused to be held scoreless in the second. Leaning on its veteran players, Lincoln Memorial got its first contribution of the season when Kiara Aleskovich scored off an assist from Guadalupe Montaldo, giving Lincoln Memorial a 1-0 lead that would hold through the first half.

The home standing Saints managed to knot the game at 1-1 early into the second half, before gaining their first lead of the game, 2-1, late into the third quarter. Maryville maintained its 2-1 lead as the game moved into the final frame. However, Lincoln Memorial refused to go quietly, knotting the game at 2-2 with just five minutes remaining in the game when Jolie Plaisier tallied her first goal for the field hockey program with an assist from Montaldo; her second of the game. With less than one minute remaining in the game, veteran player Olivia Rosini lined up a short corner, attempting to set up a game-winning goal. The short corner was perfect allowing Kelsey Beauchamp to score the game winning-goal with less than a minute remaining, giving Rosini the assist. The Saints were unable to answer, seeing Lincoln Memorial claim its first season opening win in program history, moving to 1-0 on the season.

The Railsplitters will celebrate the victory and quickly shift their focus to the Saint Louis Billikens. Lincoln Memorial will meet Saint Louis on Sunday at 1 PM EST, 12 PM CT, on ESPN+.