BEVERLY, Mass.— Sophomore Penny Baroni (Dennis, Mass.) registered her first career hat trick as Babson College defeated Endicott College, 4-3, in the field hockey season opener for both programs Friday afternoon at North Field.

The Beavers won their fifth straight season opener to start the campaign at 1-0, while the Gulls are off to an 0-1 start to the year.

Senior Caroline DiGiovanni (Harwich, Mass.) also scored for the Beavers, and senior Josie Ashton (Chatham, N.J.) earned the victory in goal with one save in her first career start.

Seniors Tori Swanson (Farmington, Conn.), Maddy Dengler (Winchester, Mass.) and Abby Antonelli (Worcester, Mass.) scored goals for the Gulls, and classmates Lily Farnham (Andover, Mass.) and Reagan Hicks (Barnstable, Mass.) recorded assists. Sophomore Faith Minickene (Madison, Conn.) made six saves in goal in the setback.

Baroni put the Beavers on top with just over five minutes left of the first quarter when she dribbled the ball into the circle and fired a long-range shot from just inside the arc and into the back of the cage. Dengler tied it up with two seconds remaining in the quarter as she was able to get past several Babson defenders to the end line and slot one home heading to the second quarter.

Babson dominated the next 15 minutes of play, outshooting Endicott, 7-0, along with holding a 5-0 penalty corner advantage. Baroni gave the Green and White the lead back in the 18th minute when she ripped a backhander home on a rebound that went inside the left post. Minickene made three of her six saves to keep it a one-goal contest heading to halftime.

DiGiovanni pushed the Babson lead to 3-1 less than two minutes into the third quarter when she capitalized on an Endicott turnover deep in its own zone, collecting a loose back and spinning away from the goalie before firing into the open cage. Swanson cut the margin back to one goal less than two minutes later when she deflected Farnham's shot into the goal.

Baroni finished off her hat trick later in the third quarter when Babson was awarded a penalty stroke after an Endicott foul in the circle on a penalty corner. Baroni snapped the stroke past Minickene in the upper left corner for a 4-2 lead.

Over the final 15 minutes, the Gulls had numerous opportunities to tie the game, but were unable to push one past the Beavers' goalie as No. 7 Babson headed home with a 4-3 victory.

The Beavers finished with a 17-6 advantage in shots, including 10-4 in shots on goal, and an 11-5 margin in penalty corners.

The Green and White return home to host No. 22 Swarthmore in the home opener on Sunday at 12 p.m. at MacDowell Field. Endicott travels to No. 19 MIT for a 6 p.m. contest on Wednesday.

GAME NOTES
• Babson is 14-4 all-time against Endicott in a series that dates back to 1984.
• The Beavers have won 16 of their last 17 season openers since 2008, with the only setback coming in 2019 to Endicott.
• DiGiovanno has four goals in her last two games against Endicott, including a hat trick in last year's season opener.
• Baroni scored five goals last season when she was named New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Rookie of the Year.