Weekend College Games: September 22 - 28

Each week, USA Field Hockey' highlights some college games in Division I, II and III.

Thursday, September 22, 2022 

DIII: Husson vs. Southern Maine | 7:00 p.m. ET | YouTube

Husson (2-3) returns home on Thursday to host Southern Maine (4-3, 2-0 LEC)

The Eagles have had success on their home turf so far,  going 2-0 compared to 0-3 on the road. Husson has seen impacts from senior Katie Perkins, who is joined this year by her sister, freshman Maddie Perkins. The sisters combined for all three assists in the 3-1 win over Wheaton, while Maddie scored twice to secure the overtime victory against Wellesley

With two Little East Conference (LEC) wins already under their belt, the Huskies will take a brief break in conference action to take on Husson. 

The two Maine foes last played in 2021, with a 4-1 Huskies victory as the outcome. Southern Maine only has two victories to Husson’s four in the all-time series.

Friday, September 23, 2022

DI: Vermont vs. Bryant | 2:00 p.m. ET | AE TV

Bryant (4-4) will travel to Bulington, Vt. on Friday and attempt to put an end to Vermont’s (6-1, 2-0 AEC) hot streak.

After opening their 2022 season with a loss to then-No. 10 Syracuse, Vermont bounced right back with six straight wins. In their recent contest against Stanford, goalkeeper Sierra Espeland made six saves, including a penalty stroke, to send the Catamounts into overtime for their eventual 1-0 victory. Espeland’s recent performance earned her the honor of America East Defensive Player of the Week.

Bryant had a slower start their season, getting through consecutive losses, to now be on a three-game win streak. A hat-trick from senior Brittany Gouws was just the energy that the Bulldogs needed to defeat St. Louis, 3-2, in overtime. Gouws also tallied up six points in their win against Holy Cross, and was dubbed the Atlantic East Conference Offensive Player of the Week.

In their meeting last season, the Bulldogs fell to the Catamounts, 4-2. 

DI: Brown vs. Yale | 3:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+ ($)

Ivy League conference play opens up on Friday with four matchups, including Brown (5-1) hosting Yale (4-2) in Providence, R.I. 

Off to a solid 5-1 start, the Bears are well on their way to claiming their first winning season since 2014. Brown began this season with two overtime wins, including one against then-No. 24 Miami (Ohio). Their recent 3-2 loss to Virginia Commonwealth which broke their winning streak also came in overtime.

After a four-game winning streak, the Bulldogs couldn’t capitalize on their offensive momentum and fell to Albany, 3-0. Aside from offense, Yale’s defensive unit has also shown a bend-but-don’t-break ability this season - in their 2-1 win against Drexel, the Bulldogs were outshot 26-4 and overcame 18 defensive corners. Junior goalkeeper Luanna Summer stood out with a career high 14 saves.

Yale, who holds an 11-4 record in the all-time series, has won the past four against Brown. In last season’s Ivy League opener, the Bulldogs scored their game winning goal on a penalty corner with just under five minutes left to play. This will be a battle of new coaches with Britt Broady taking over at the helm of Brown and Melissa Gonzalez stepping in to lead Yale.

DI: No. 3 Maryland vs. No. 8 Michigan | 6:00 p.m. ET | B1G+ ($)

The Big Ten gives us two top-ten matchups this weekend, with No. 3 Maryland (7-1, 1-0 B1G) hosting No. 8 Michigan (4-3, 0-1 B1G). While over in Illinois, No. 1 Northwestern will host No. 5 Iowa.

Maryland will be raring to go after suffering their first loss in seven games on Tuesday to No. 7 Princeton. The Tigers went goal for goal with the Terps to end regulation at 3-3, but it was Princeton who scored first in overtime to take the victory. Despite that defeat, Maryland has looked extremely strong this season, including sophomore Hope Rose, who’s eight goals and six assists put her third in Division I for points per game. 

Michigan’s three losses have all been at the hands of top-ten teams. The Wolverines could not outlast No. 5 Louisville and No. 6 Penn State - falling with identical 2-1 scores. Able to find their rhythm after the two losses, Michigan recently shutout Cornell, 3-0. 

Last fall, the Terps upset the then-No. 2 Wolverines in a tight 2-1 competition. Before that, in the shortened 2020 season, Michigan won two back-to-back games.

DII: Franklin Pierce vs. Southern Connecticut State | 4:00 p.m. ET | NE10 NOW

Franklin Pierce (0-4) welcomes New England 10 (NE10) rival Southern Connecticut State (1-3) to Sodexo Field on Friday.

The Ravens are trying to find their footing under third-year head coach Marissa Shaw, who had her team off to a 3-1 start in her first year before COVID-19 suspended the season. Franklin Pierce will look to clinch their first season win in tandem with a conference win. Sage Clukey earned a spot on the NE10 Weekly Honor Roll after a three-point performance.

Each team will look to improve on their 2021 season records. The Owls went 3-14 last year, but all three wins came in NE10 play. 

The two often swap places between loser and victor, but the team who came out on top last season was Southern Connecticut State. The Owls have nine wins in overall meetings to the Ravens 14.

Saturday, September 24, 2022

DII: Saint Michael's vs. New Haven | 12:00 p.m. ET | NE10 NOW

Saint Michael’s (0-4) and New Haven (0-4) will battle in search of their first win on Saturday.

Saint Michael’s has had a rocky start to their season, falling to challenging opponents including No. 5 Kutztown and No. 6 Saint Anslem. New Haven has faced a similar fate - stacking the early schedule with a trio of top-10 teams in then-No. 9 Adelphi, then-No. 2 West Chester and No. 9 Assumption. Both teams will have to ramp up their offense, having scored a combined six goals this season. 

The Chargers and Purple Knights have faced off a total of three times in the past four years. Saint Michael’s claimed the first victory in 2018, while New Haven has the two most recent wins. Last season’s victory was a 3-0 shutout.

DIII: Franklin & Marshall vs. No. 20 Ursinus | 12:00 p.m. ET | CC Digital Network

A Centennial Conference matchup ensues on Saturday as Franklin and Marshall (3-3) takes on Ursinus (3-3).

The Diplomats are looking for redemption this season - they failed to make the postseason in 2021 after appearing in the NCAA Tournament Final in 2019. Franklin and Marshall holds a ranked win so far this season over No. 16 Christopher Newport, but were unable to get the same result against No. 8 Messiah and No. 9 Kean.

The Bears began their season challenging No. 3 Rowan, but fell to the Profs by a single goal. Most recently, Ursinus snagged a big non-conference win against No. 16 TCNJ. Three different Bears scored to secure the 3-2 victory over the Lions.

Before Johns Hopkins stepped up to join the fray, Ursinus and Franklin and Marshall were often rivals for the top -spot in the Centennial Conference. After going back and forth for years in their matchups, the Diplomats finally had a five-game win streak between 2017 and 2019. Then in 2021, Ursinus came out on top with a massive 6-0 win.

DIII: No. 19 SUNY Cortland vs. SUNY Brockport | 1:00 p.m. ET | Cortland Broadcasts

SUNY Cortland (4-1) and SUNY Brockport (5-1) open their State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) play on Saturday afternoon.

Cortland, picked to finish second in the SUNYAC poll, has tallied only one loss so far this season. It was an evenly matched contest with William Smith, the teams were equal on shots and corners, but the Red Dragons could only cash in one goal to the Herons’ three. Senior Lily Fox scored the lone goal, and leads her team with five.

Brockport, who was chosen to finish fourth, opened up their 2022 campaign with a bang by shutting down Keuka, 11-0. Their single loss came in a lopsided match against Rensselaer. In their recent victory against Utica, Golden Eagles goalkeeper Ella Buchanan made three saves – earning her the title of SUNYAC Defensive Athlete of the Week.

The Golden Eagles will look to pick up their first win against the Red Dragons since 2004. After a close 2-1 overtime loss in 2019, Brockport could not rally the same defensive strength in their 7-1 loss to Cortland in 2021. 

Sunday, September 25, 2022

DI: Appalachian State vs. No. 15 Wake Forest | 12:00 p.m. ET | TWITCH

Appalachian State (3-3, 0-1 MAC) welcomes their North Carolina neighbor Wake Forest (5-2) on Sunday at noon.

After starting 3-0, the Mountaineers hit some bumps in the road as they fell in shootouts to  Drexel and then in overtime to Duke. Appalachian State will look to snap their three-game cold spell when they play Central Michigan at home on Friday. The Mountaineers will need to be at their full strength to take on the Demon Deacons, including senior Carli Ciocco who holds the third-place spot in Division I for total assists (6) and senior Addie Clark, who holds the highest save percentage in Division I (.864).

Over in Winston-Salem, N.C., the Demon Deacons have rattled off five straight victories. Coach Jennifer Averill recently notched her 400th career win when Sky Caron put away a penalty stroke in the fourth quarter to defeat Richmond, 4-3. Before meeting with the Mountaineers, Wake Forest will face their first Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) opponent this Friday – No. 2 North Carolina.

When the pair went head-to-head in 2021, Wake Forest came away with a big 5-1 victory.

DI: New Hampshire vs. UMass Lowell | 1:00 p.m. ET | AE TV

A weekend full of America East conference play will include a Sunday afternoon matchup between New Hampshire (3-4) and UMass Lowell (6-2).

The Wildcats will return home - where they are currently undefeated - on Sunday after five games on the road. New Hampshire recently took on several ranked opponents but could not come up with a victory. The slew included a close 4-3 loss to No. 25 Massachusetts and a 2-0 defeat at the hands at No. 23 American. 

In similar fashion, the River Hawks were unable to best No. 25 Massachusetts and fell in overtime, 3-2. Their only other loss on the season was a 2-0 defeat to No. 15 Connecticut. UMass Lowell has had a few tight wins, and have outscored their opponents 19-10 with 12 different players finding the back of the net.

After a 1-0 overtime loss in the shortened 2020 season, the Wildcats finally were victorious in a 3-1 match against the River Hawks last season for the first time since 2017. New Hampshire is currently 8-5 in overall meetings.

DIII: No. 11 Bates vs. No. 1 Middlebury | 12:00 p.m. ET | NSN

Bates (5-1, 2-0 NESCAC) and Middlebury (5-0, 2-0 NESCAC) face off on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. ET at Campus Avenue Field in a premier top-25 matchup. 

After a tough 2021 season in which they went 3-7 in conference play, Bates has already shown improvement by knocking off  No. 6 Bowdoin and No. 8 Williams. It was the first time since 1984 that the Bobcats claimed victory over Bowdoin, and the first time ever against Williams. Bates is paced by sisters Anna and Paige Cote. Anna, a sophomore, has five goals while Paige, a junior, has three assists to lead the way. The Bobcats will have a quick turnaround from their contest against Amherst on Saturday. 

Middlebury continues to hold strong at the No. 1 spot - already beating No. 11 Amherst and No. 7 Babson. Their 21 goals have been spread out between 12 different goal-scorers, showing depth in the Panther offense. Defensively, Middlebury has only allowed two goals in their five games.

The Panthers defeated the Bobcats, 4-0, early last October. Bates will look to clinch their first victory in this matchup.

Monday, September 26, 2022

DIII: Arcadia vs. Juniata | 7:00 p.m. ET | MAC TV

Arcadia (1-5, 0-1 MAC) will host Juniata (1-6) in a non-conference game on Monday.

The Knights recently tested their limits by taking on No. 2 Rowan, but could not find the strength to take on the Profs. Despite offensive efforts, including two goals from senior Regan Sammons, Arcadia faltered in overtime against Scranton.

Despite several tough losses, Juniata made sure to shut down Lycoming with a 5-0 win. Miranda Madara tallied two goals in the victory, putting her total at four for the season so far. The Eagles are looking to bounce back from an under .500 season last year. 

The two Pennsylvania teams will reunite after having one contest in 2008. It was Juniata who dominated with a 6-0 victory over Arcadia.

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

DII: Frostburg vs. No. 8 Indiana University of Pennsylvania | 7:00 p.m. ET | Bobcat Sports Network

Frostburg (4-2) hosts No. 8 Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) (3-1) in a late night contest on Tuesday. 

Frostburg has already doubled their total win count from their 2021 season, in what is turning into a promising fall. Recently, the Bobcats were able to defeat Mercyhurst in a tight 2-1 contest. One of their two losses was on the road to No. 5 Kutztown.

IUP’s lone loss came when they took on No. 1 West Chester last Tuesday. Defense was the name of the game, as the Crimson Hawks held the Rams to four goals off of 25 shots and 10 corners. Their offense is led by freshman Jess Davidson, who has tallied four goals.

The pair has met only twice previously, both were wins for the Crimson Hawks.

DIII: Keene State vs. Plymouth State | 6:30 p.m. ET | LEC Network

Keene State (2-3, 1-0 LEC) will welcome long-time state rival Plymouth State (4-2, 2-0 LEC) to Owl Athletic Complex on Tuesday evening. 

The Owls recently picked up a huge conference win against Eastern Connecticut, who handed them their only two conference losses last season, including in the postseason final. Sophomore Irini Stefanakos and freshman Kalina Piasecki both tallied an assist to secure the 3-1 victory against the Warriors. Senior Lauren Hausser and freshman goalkeeper Clara Gorman have been holding down the defensive end, earning Little East Conference Defensive Player and Goalkeeper of the Week, respectively. 

Plymouth State’s recent 4-3 victory over Framingham State began what will be an 11-game stretch of conference matchups. The Panthers came from a two goal deficit, with two goals a piece from sophomore Amy Cohen and junior Taylor Healy.

The Owls are 28-10 in overall contests, including a 4-2 victory in 2021. Not to be overlooked, the Panthers had a 3-2 win as recently as 2019.

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

DII: No. 5 Kutztown vs. Mansfield | 4:00 p.m. ET | PSAC Network

No. 5 Kutztown (6-0) welcomes Mansfield (2-2) to Andre Reed Stadium for a Wednesday night non-conference matchup.

After taking a ten day hiatus, Kutztown will look to extend their impressive 6-0 win streak. The Golden Bears have been on an offensive roll, outscoring their opponents 31-2. That stat also showcases their spectacular defense, led in part by PSAC Defensive Athlete of the Week Sarah Gatehouse. At center back, the junior has been part of a defensive unit that has allowed only two goals all season.

Despite their 2-2 record, Mansfield has shown promising talent, dropping only 4-3 both against No. 8 Indiana University of Pennsylvania and No. 2 Shippensburg. Sophomore Kenedy Stroup and junior Alex Esterling combined to score five goals in those two contests.

Kutztown has come out on top in their last 11 meetings, but only with a 1-0 score line last season. The Mounties will be hungry to get their first win against the Bears since 2014.

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Division I rankings based off of the Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Week 3 (posted September 20, 2022)
Division II rankings based off of the Penn Monto/NFHCA Division II National Coaches Week 2 (posted September 20, 2022)
Division III rankings based off of the Penn Monto/NFHCA Division III National Coaches Week 2 (posted September 20, 2022)

Photo Credit: Cabrini Athletics, Brown Athletics/David Silverman Photography, Adelphi University, Appalachian State Athletics, Bates College/Matthew Hamilton, IUP Athletics/Alana Cardona