PITTSBURGH, PA -- Kerri Phillis scored twice and Alondra Gonzalez netted her first career goal and assist as the Redhawks held on to beat Geneva in their 2018 opener. Jessica Welka and Isabelle Orange combined for ten saves.

Geneva found opportunities early, but Welka stood tall and La Roche navigated their way through the Golden Tornado defense. Phillis provided the first strike, burying a Sam Chambers feed in the twenty-fifth minute and a 1-0 lead.

Welka continued to put aside Geneva shots, but the Golden Tornadoes finally found a crack and both teams entered halftime tied at 1-1.

Coach Lozano regrouped his squad for the second half, and La Roche came out firing. They won two corner kicks and two shots, before Phillis put the Redhawks back up in the fifty-ninth minute. 

Orange pushed away a tough shot in the seventy-second minute, and Gonzalez netted her first goal just four minutes later. Geneva added a late goal, but not the equalizer, as La Roche hung on for the 3-2 victory.

La Roche looks to improve to 2-0 on Tuesday against Muskingum.