Weekend College Games: October 19 - 25
Each week, USA Field Hockey highlights upcoming college games to watch. This edition covers the week of October 19 - 25.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20
DI: FAIRFIELD vs RIDER | 3 PM ET | STAGS SPORTS NETWORK
It’s a rematch of the 2022 NEC Championship this Friday afternoon when Fairfield hosts Rider at University Stadium.
Holding the top spot in the NEC with an unblemished record, Fairfield (10-3, 4-0 NEC) are also unbeaten on their home turf. The Stags have only three losses on the season, a step-up from the same point in the 2022 season when they had seven. Before falling to Maine this past Sunday, Fairfield had accumulated an impressive six straight wins. The Stags and the NEC are led offensively by Belgium native Lucie Vincent, who boasts 15 points so far in her first year.
Rider (6-8, 3-1 NEC) is looking to get back over .500 after a tough four-game stretch earlier this season. The Broncs are 3-1 in conference play, giving them the second-best record in the NEC alongside Saint Francis. It was the Red Flash who gave Rider their lone conference loss – a team that Fairfield defeated 3-1. Over the weekend, freshman Willemijn Ephraim scored the game-winning goal in a narrow 2-1 win over Sacred Heart, earning the NEC Rookie of the Week award for the second time this season.
Last fall, the Stags defeated Wagner in the conference semifinals to face off against the Broncs in the championship match. Rider just barely took the title with a 2-1 win in overtime. In their overall meetings, Fairfield is slightly behind with a 10-19 record.
DI: NO. 7 VIRGINIA vs NO. 2 NORTH CAROLINA | 4 PM ET | ACCNX ($)
Virginia (9-5, 2-3 ACC) took down second-ranked Duke last weekend in double overtime, a feat they could not do when they played the Blue Devils in ACC play earlier this season. Graduate student Adele Iacobucci made a diving defensive save to keep overtime going, and sophomore Daniela Mendez-Trendler was able to tally the game-winner. The victory came on the heels of a 5-0 conference victory over Wake Forest, where junior Taryn Tkachuk, who went on to score the first goal against the Blue Devils, contributed two goals and an assist. Tkachuk picked up ACC Offensive Player of the Week, while Iacobucci was named ACC Defensive Player of the Week.
With a perfect 4-0 conference record, North Carolina (11-2, 4-0 ACC) is battling with Duke for the ACC regular season title. The Tar Heels most recently took a narrow 4-3 non-conference victory over UAlbany after defeating Syracuse 4-1 on Friday. Sophomore Ryleigh Heck had a goal and an assist in both games, which led to her sharing the ACC Offensive Player of the Week honor with Tkachuk.
The Tar Heels have won their past 12 meetings with the Cavaliers, and have a 62-17 advantage in all time meetings.
DI: DREXEL vs DELAWARE | 4 PM ET | FLOSPORTS ($)
Another rematch of a 2022 conference final will go down this Friday when Drexel hosts CAA foe Delaware in Philadelphia.
Heating up on their season, Drexel (11-4, 3-1 CAA) is looking to break a spell and defeat Delaware after falling to the Blue Hens in nine straight meetings. The Dragon offense includes veteran Eline Di Leva paired with first year Val Van Hellemont, the former winning Division I Offensive Player of the Week last week while the latter was named the most recent CAA Player of the Week. Van Hellemont tallied a pair of goals in the Dragons’ 2-0 shutout against American on Sunday after netting a hat trick against William & Mary on Friday. Drexel’s defense is anchored by fifth-year Megan Hadfield, who currently leads the CAA in goals against average at 1.022.
Reigning CAA champion Delaware (5-9, 1-3) will be rearing to regain their footing in the CAA after an uncharacteristic three conference losses. Monmouth has been their usual threat since joining the CAA in 2021, but this fall the Blue Hens have found themselves falling to William & Mary and Northeastern as well. As for non-conference play, Delaware has faced a challenging schedule, with three of their early season losses coming against ranked opponents.
After Drexel fell by a narrow 2-1 scoreline in regular season play last fall, Delaware came out in full force in the CAA championship match to win the crown, 6-1. The Blue Hens have a large 32-9 all-time series advantage over the Dragons, which includes the past nine match-ups.
DI: NO. 9 MARYLAND vs NO. 5 IOWA | 5 PM ET | B1G+ ($)
It’s another top-ten matchup this Friday when No. 9 Maryland hosts No. 5 Iowa in College Park, Md.
The past five games have been good to Maryland (12-3, 4-1 B1G). The Terps picked up four B1G wins and three ranked wins, most recently one of both in their 2-1 victory over Ohio State. It was freshman Maci Bradford who scored the winning goal in the fourth quarter, while another first-year athlete – Alyssa Klebasko – made six saves in goal. Earlier that weekend, Klebasko made a season-high eight saves to preserve Maryland’s 1-0 lead over Michigan, and was honored as this week’s B1G Freshman of the Week. Graduate student Sammy Popper tallied a goal in each of the two wins.
After holding the top spot in the Division I rankings for four weeks straight, Iowa (12-2, 3-2 B1G) has fallen down to fifth despite just two losses on the season. The Hawkeyes’ most recent loss was 2-0 to then-No. 2 Northwestern, who has since clinched the top spot. Since that loss, Iowa has bounced back with a big 2-1 victory over then-No. 5 Louisville. It has been an unbelievable season for freshman Dionne van Aalsum, who scored both goals in the win over the Cardinals – bringing her NCAA-leading total to 23. Van Aalsum earned her sixth B1G weekly honor for her performance this past weekend, this time as B1G Offensive Player of the Week for the third time.
Last season, the Terps defeated the Hawkeyes 2-1 in overtime after losing their previous three meetings.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21
DIII: NO. 1 MIDDLEBURY vs NO. 7 TUFTS | 11 AM ET | NSN
With just two games left in the season, Middlebury (13-0, 8-0 NESCAC) is looking for a perfect 15-0 record to end their regular season play. The Panthers have defeated every opponent they’ve been up against, including now-No. 2 Babson and No. 20 Trinity, who was their lone loss last season. With a clinical offense led by Amy Griffin and NESCAC Player of the Week Katie George, and a defense that has only allowed eight goals, the Panthers remain unstoppable.
Tufts (10-3, 7-1 NESCAC) has been having their own impressive season, with seven NESCAC victories that includes back-to-back wins this past weekend over No. 10 Bates and No. 9 Williams. Junior Claire Gavin notched a goal in each match, which included the OT gamewinner in the Jumbos’ 2-1 win over the Ephs. Sophomore goalkeeper Lydia Eastburn made ten saves over the weekend, only allowing a single goal.
The Panthers have won nine of the last ten meetings with the Jumbos, most recently shutting out Tufts 2-0 in the 2022 NESCAC championship.
DII: LIMESTONE vs NO. 4 MOUNT OLIVE | 11 AM ET | FLOLIVE ($)
Limestone will take on No. 4 Mount Olive for the second time this season in another SAC showdown.
Back in the top-five ranks, Mount Olive (13-1, 12-0 SAC) has been cruising their way through the SAC. This past Wednesday, the Trojans matched up against the only other ranked SAC team, Newberry, and came out with a 4-2 victory. Senior Avery Congleton, who now ranks third in the SAC in goals and points, scored the go-ahead goal in the second quarter, then added one more for insurance in third. Last weekend, Mount Olive recorded a 1-0 win over Belmont Abbey – the team’s fifth shutout this season – with the help of center back Maud van Duin, who was named the SAC Defensive Player of the Week.
Currently ranked fourth in the SAC, Limestone (8-3, 8-3 SAC) has been hot on a five game win streak after losing to Lander in overtime on September 26. Their past few matches have all been close – a 3-2 win over Coker this week and a 1-0 OT win against Converse last week.
When the pair met up earlier this season, Mount Olive took a 2-1 victory at home. The Trojans have won the past three match-ups while the Saints won the first four.
DIII: NO. 18 WESLEYAN vs NO. 11 BOWDOIN | 12 PM ET | NSN
Looking to secure their playoff spot in the most competitive Division III conference, No. 18 Wesleyan and No. 11 Bowdoin will match-up on Saturday at noon.
It’s been a straight split in the NESCAC so far for Wesleyan (8-5, 4-4 NESCAC). The Cardinals notched some impressive wins – like a 2-1 OT win on the road against then-No. 5 Tufts, and an early season 4-1 victory over then-No. 14 Trinity – but recently suffered a narrow 3-2 loss to No. 9 Williams after falling to No. 10 Bates last weekend.
Bowdoin (10-3, 5-3 NESCAC) has now picked up three straight NESCAC wins, including an impressive 3-2 victory over Amherst. The Polar Bears have a wealth of offensive talent, with Mackay Bommer tallying three goals across the three wins, and Faith Jennings and Georgie Coetzer each notching two.
The Polar Bears have been dominant in the all-time series against the Cardinals, winning the past 12 straight meetings and holding a 37-9 record. If Wesleyan wins this match-up, it will be the first time since 2009.
DIII: NO. 2 BABSON vs MIT | 12 PM ET | BABSON SPORTS NETWORK
Besides having an outstanding 15-1 record (9-0 NEWMAC), Babson’s current claim to fame is being the only team to come within one goal of defeating Middlebury. Since the lone loss to the Panthers, the Beavers have won nine consecutive matches, while maintaining a perfect record in conference. This past week, Babson defeated Wellesley and Springfield by a combined score of 10-1. Sinead Walsh and Camille Marsh lead the Beaver attack, with 32 and 31 points, respectively.
After suffering three consecutive losses early in the season, MIT (11-3, 7-0) has bounced back without a single loss since September 12, when they fell 3-2 to then-No. 6 Tufts. The Engineers are paced offensively by Paige Forester, who ranks second in goals in the NEWMAC at 15. MIT most recently took down Mount Holyoke in a mid-week match-up by a massive eight-goal margin, after shutting out Clark 5-0 last weekend.
In their long history dating back to 1984, Babson is 33-18 in all time meetings, having won the past four times. The Beavers outpaced the Engineers 3-1 to win the NEWMAC title in 2022.
DIII: DEPAUW vs OHIO WESLEYAN | 12 PM ET | DEPAUW VIDEO NETWORK
Undefeated Ohio Wesleyan will travel to Greencastle, Ind. to take on DePauw in a battle for NCAC supremacy.
One of just four teams that remains unbeaten in all of college field hockey, Ohio Wesleyan (13-0, 7-0 NCAC) is looking to protect their title of best in the NCAC. Not only have the Battling Bishops posted a stellar record, but they’ve tallied 10 straight shutouts. Part of that defensive line is NCAC Defensive Athlete of the Week Gabi Dahllof. The junior helped lead her team to their two most recent shutouts against Earlham and Washington & Jefferson, where each team was only allowed a single shot on goal. OWU has four athletes with 20 or more points on the season – Olivia Danley (28), Allie Crawford (21), Emma Wright (21) and Mattison Hyland (20).
DePauw (10-4, 7-1) is just shy of a perfect conference record after falling 2-0 to Denison last week. The Tigers bounced back with a 3-2 win over Wittenberg, a win that was propelled by two goals from Maggie Volpe and two assists from Lilly Harris. DePauw will host from Reavis Stadium for just the fifth time this season – getting home field advantage in a heavy travel year.
Last November, DePauw just missed out in the NCAC final when they fell in double overtime to OWU. Just a month earlier, the Tigers had defeated the Bishops 1-0 in shootouts – one of just their two regular season losses.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22
DI: NO. 4 RUTGERS vs NO. 1 NORTHWESTERN | 11 AM ET | B1G+ ($)
Two teams remain undefeated in B1G conference play. One is undefeated overall. No. 4 Rutgers and No. 1 Northwestern clash in a top-five match-up on Sunday at 11 a.m. ET.
Rutgers (14-0, 5-0 B1G) remains unbeaten after a thrilling match against then-No. 9 Ohio State last Friday. Both the Buckeyes and the Scarlet Knights were unable to tally a single goal in regulation or two overtime periods. Goalkeeper Sophia Howard came up clutch, making five saves and rejecting two shootout attempts. Sophomore Ava Cickavage sealed the deal for Rutgers, burying her shootout attempt in the goal to end the game. Continuing to shine on the defensive line, Puck Winter registered a defensive save in the match, as well as in the 3-1 win over Michigan State two days later, and earned the honors of B1G and Division I Defensive Player of the Week.
Back on top, Northwestern (13-1, 5-0 B1G) has won 13 consecutive matches after their opening loss. The Wildcats picked up a B1G 2-0 win over Iowa two weeks ago, then followed it up this past weekend by shutting out Ohio 5-0. Northwestern boasts a tough defense that has only allowed seven goals in their 14 games, and a goalkeeper – Annabel Skubisz – who sits on top of the Division I stats for goals against average (0.50).
Last season, the Wildcats defeated the Scarlet Knights 2-1 in overtime in the opening round of the B1G tournament.
DI: VCU vs MONMOUTH | 1 PM ET | ESPN+ ($)
Monmouth will travel to Richmond, Va. for one final non-conference game against VCU on Sunday afternoon.
Monmouth (9-4, 4-0 CAA) is currently the top performer in the CAA, and only two seasons after joining the conference. The Hawks have already taken down some of their top contenders with a 2-1 win over then-No. 20 Delaware and 1-0 victory against Drexel – the team they had lost to in the conference semifinal last season. Offensive leader for Monmoth and the CAA Sofia Fouces tallied all three goals in those two wins. Fouces notched another in the Hawks’ recent 5-3 win over Northeastern, a game where freshman defender Anna Moors added a pair of her own. After what ended up being her first multi-goal – that included her first gamewinning goal – Moors was named the CAA Rookie of the Week.
VCU (11-3, 4-1) has been having success in their own conference, sans not being able to take down then-No. 13 Saint Joseph’s. The Rams were able to win their other four conference match-ups, which included a 1-0 win over then-No. 17 UMass. VCU showed their strength early on in the season when they took an extremely tight 2-1 OT loss to then-No. 5 Louisville. Strong on offense for the Rams, freshman Mora Marrero currently leads the A10 in goals (10) and points (24).
The Rams and Hawks have only met three times before, most recently in 2016 when Monmouth left with a 3-1 victory. VCU won the other two games in 2012 and 2009.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24
DII: NO. 5 BLOOMSBURG vs NO. 9 MANSFIELD | 4 PM ET | PSAC NETWORK
With just a few more games left to prove themselves in the PSAC, No. 5 Bloomsburg and No. 9 Mansfield will clash on Tuesday night in Bloomsburg, Pa.
After falling to Kutztown on October 4, Bloomsburg (12-3, 4-3 PSAC) has answered back with three PSAC wins, including a 1-0 victory over then-No. 1 East Stroudsburg. The Huskies’ most recent win was in an extremely tight contest against Millersville. With just one single shot on goal, Genna Bush put away the gamewinner in the 57th minute. It was a strong defensive showing from both teams, with Bloomsburg goalkeeper Jackie Nevel making four saves and junior defender Meg Barnard tallying a defensive save. Nevel, who currently ranks second in the PSAC in save percentage (.795), was chosen as the PSAC Defensive Athlete of the Week.
Mansfield (9-5, 3-3 PSAC) had their own tight PSAC showdown on Wednesday, theirs against IUP. It was a goal in the second minute of play from graduate student Blaise Cugini – who played her undergraduate career at IUP – that eventually led to the 1-0 win for the Mounties. The defense held strong for the entire 60 minutes, successfully protecting the one goal lead and helping goalkeeper August Lewis to her seventh shutout of the season.
The last meeting between the two ended in a 2-1 win for the Huskies, who have a 21-4 all-time series advantage over the Mounties.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25
DIII: CABRINI vs MANHATTANVILLE | 4 PM ET | ATLANTIC EAST NETWORK
Following their Senior Day game against Gwynedd Mercy on Saturday, Cabrini will host the program’s final regular season home match on Robb Dixon Field.
After winning the title of Atlantic East Conference (AEC) champion last season, Cabrini (6-8, 1-3) was selected to finish second in the AEC this year. The Cavaliers started off conference play with a dominant 5-1 win over Neumann, but followed it up with two close losses to Immaculata and Marywood. In the 1-0 loss to the Mighty Macs, the stats were heavily in favor of Cabrini, who did not let in a goal until the final six seconds of the game. The Cavaliers were conference champions six times, most recently in 2021 and 2022, all under head coach Jackie Neary.
In her second year of coaching at Manhattanville (3-10, 0-4 AEC), SUNY Oswego graduate Katie Reynolds is looking to navigate the Valiants in their transition to the AEC. Manhattanville is on the hunt for their first conference win this weekend after dropping a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Neumann this Wednesday. After going down 1-0 in the 38th minute, graduate student Megan Keaveney scored the tying goal ten minutes later, sending the match to overtime. The Knights came away with victory after scoring just two minutes into the extra period.
After playing each other all the way back in 1996 and 1998, the two teams did not meet again until their next pair matches in 2002 and 2003. After another hiatus, the two met again in 2021 and 2022 when Manhattanville joined the AEC. Last season, Cabrini took a dominant 9-2 victory.
DII: NO. 8 MILLERSVILLE vs NO. 3 KUTZTOWN | 6 PM ET | VILLE SPORTS NETWORK
A top-ten PSAC match-up goes down on Wednesday at 6 p.m. when No. 8 Millersville hosts No. 3 Kutztown.
After their heartbreaking 3-2 loss to then-No. 2 Shippensburg, Kutztown (11-2, 5-2 PSAC) looked ahead and triumphed with two back-to-back PSAC wins. The first was a 2-0 shutout against Mansfield last weekend, followed by a 2-1 win over West Chester on Tuesday. Freshman Jessica Traynor was an integral part of the Golden Bears offense, tallying a goal in each game.
Millersville (9-5, 3-4 PSAC) is looking to bounce back after their recent 1-0 loss to Bloomsburg this past week. The Marauders led in shots and penalty corners, but could not outlast the Huskies offense, who managed to tally a goal in the final three minutes of regulation. The loss came after a much needed 1-0 win over West Chester, where sophomore Emma Ruley scored the lone goal.
Kutztown won the 2022 season match-up with Millersville in overtime, 1-0, after falling 5-1 in the 2021 season.
Images courtesy of: Olivia Frzop/Fairfield Athletics, Virginia Athletics, Jim Beaver/Sideline Photos/Drexel Athletics, Chris Lyons/ Maryland Athletics, Tufts Athletics, John Byrum Photography/Limestone Athletics, Steve McLaughlin Photography/Wesleyan Athletics, Jon Endow/Babson Athletics, Ed Mailliard/OWU Athletics, Joseph Cress/Northwestern Athletics, Troy Fenton Jr/Monmouth Athletics, Millersville Athletics, Linda Johnson/Cabrini Athletics, Mark Palczewski/Millersville Athletics