FROSTBURG, Md. - Senior Logan Gladden opened th 2019 season with a goal in the first half, but the Frostburg State field hockey team endured a narrow 2-1 defeat to St. Thomas Aquinas, Thursday in the season opener for both teams.

FSU outshot the Spartans 12-10 and both teams had six penalty corners. However, Aquinas junior Meghan McCarren assisted on a goal in each half to help the visitors to the win.

The two squads exchanged goals in the opening half that sent the contest into intermission in a 1-1 deadlock.

Briannah Thorne scored off a pass from McCarren just 2:50 into action to give the Spartans a quick 1-0 lead.

Two minutes later, Frostburg answered when senior Logan Gladden tipped home a shot from junior Gabby Rachuba to knot things at 1-1. Gladden started the scoring play when she centered a penalty corner at 4:21. Rachuba received the pass and fired a shot on goal that eventually found the stick of Gladden, who tipped the ball past Spartan keeper Suzanne Clarke.

Rachuba had a shot turned away at 10:57 in the first quarter and she had another shot early in the second quarter kicked away by Spartan defender Kaitlyn Gutenberger.
St. Thomas Aquinas took the lead for good with McCarren found Lotta Strijbos in the 37th minute for a 2-1 cushion.

The Bobcats took just one more shot on goal following the Aqunias goal and Rachuba's attempt was saved in the 55th minute.

Bobcat senior keeper Sierra Smizer notched four saves in the loss while Clarke made four saves. Both Gladden and Rachuba led the Bobcats with five shots each.

Frostburg returns to action on Saturday at Indiana (Pa.) at 5:00 pm.