In a rematch of last season's field hockey state semifinal, Pioneer beat Bloomfield Hills Marian 4-2 at Pioneer's Holloway Field Monday night.

The Pioneers won last year's semifinal showdown as well, but split a home-and-home series with the Mustangs in the regular season.

Monday night, Pioneer (3-0) got contributions from all over its roster in the win.

Emy Guttman opened the scoring for the Pioneers, scoring off a corner at the 19:38 mark of the first half. Beth Johnson added to the Pioneers' lead at 11:30 of the first half, tipping in a long shot from teammate Sarah Spaid.

Pioneer dominated for much of the first half, carrying the majority of possession, and outshooting Marian 5-1. But the Mustangs (5-2) made the game far more competitive in the second half.

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But that didn't stop Guttman from helping to extend her team's lead. Just four minutes into the second half she drove a shot at net that teammate Julia Franceschi deflected into the net to give the Pioneers a three goal advantage.

"She's a great team player," Pioneer coach Jane Nixon said of Guttman. "She can score goals or distribute the ball, whatever her role is."

What seemed like insurance goals at the time, would prove important for Pioneer, as the Mustangs brought relentless energy for the entire second half. Rachel Michalski put Marian on the board with 19 minutes left in the second half. But the Pioneers were resolute, continuing to play the same game as they had before being scored upon.

The emphasis on steady play is something Nixon passes down to her team.

"The score doesn't always dictate how we are going to play and perform," Nixon said. "You can be down and you have to fight as hard as if you're up. You have to play to the best through sixty minutes of hockey."

Sydney Supica helped the Pioneers to put the game away, scoring on a rifle of a shot from the top of the circle, little more than three minutes after the Mustang's tally.

The Mustangs would add one more goal, and had numerous chances for more.

Marian outshot Pioneer 6-4 in the second half, with Pioneer goalie Emma Hamstra being a big reason why Marian wasn't able to get more than the two goals they did score. Multiple times Hamstra fought off wild scrambles in front of the Pioneer net, going to the ground to stuff Marian shots and the ensuing rebounds.

Being just the third game of the season for Pioneer, Nixon was pleased to see her team play a complete game

"It's early in the season," Nixon said. "So it's important for us to work our game and play up to our skill level and intensity level."

Prior to the game there was a memorial ceremony at Hollway Field for Theresa and Samantha Supica, Sydney's late mother and sister, who were both killed in an auto accident over the summer.

"That was really important," Nixon said of the memorial. "The Supica family has phenomenal courage and they teach us every day how to carry on with courage. We want to acknowledge and recognize and honor the family."

-- Bison Collins Messink