BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Junior midfielder Catherine Duffin broke a scoreless tie in the 56th minute, and senior goalie Andrea Eck made four saves as the Moravian College field hockey team opened the 2013 season with a 1-0 victory over DeSales University on a steamy Rocco Calvo Field Saturday.

"It is great to start the season off with a victory," stated Head Coach Amy Endler, who is beginning her 11th campaign. "I am very pleased with the teamwork that was on display this afternoon. Every member of our team contributed today."

Duffin was the beneficiary of a loose ball on a Moravian penalty corner. Senior midfielder Chelsea Grotyohann inserted the ball to Duffin, who passed off to junior midfielder/defender Bryn Tafuri. Tafuri blasted a shot off of the DeSales goalie, and Duffin gathered the loose ball and put it into a wide open net for the only goal of the match.

"The key to winning today's game was our improved passing and quickness to the ball, and our overall desire to win," Duffin said.

Over the final 14 minutes of the match, both teams pushed for a goal; however, the goalies would not be beaten.

DeSales nearly had an early lead with two shots in the first 3:14 including a penalty stroke by Sam Szathmary that got past Eck but clanked off of the left posted and stayed out of the net. Eck made three of her four saves in the first half.

"After today's game, I am confident that my team will live up to our goals for the season," expressed Eck. "We displayed strong offensive and defensive skills, and our team worked together as a whole."

The Greyhounds put a flurry of six shots in a three-minute span late in the first half but the squads went to the intermission without a score.   Moravian finished the game with a 16-7 edge in shots and a 10-5 advantage in penalty corners.

Moravian will return to the turf at Rocco Calvo Field on Friday, September 6 when they host Arcadia University in a non-conference match beginning at 4:00 p.m.