FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University field hockey team will close out the regular season with two more home games on University Field. William & Mary will come to town on Friday for the final non-conference game at 3:00 p.m. Then on Saturday, they finish up league play with LIU Brooklyn at 1:00 p.m. Before Saturday's game, the team will honor their four seniors with a Senior Day Ceremony beginning around 12:50 p.m.
Fairfield (5-12, 3-2 MAAC) vs. William & Mary (8-8, 4-1 CAA): The Stags are 0-1 all-time against the Tribe. Their one and only meeting was a 5-0 loss for the Stags back in 2007.
A Look at the Tribe: William & Mary sits in second place in the Colonial Athletic Association with just one conference loss. Junior forward Cammie Lloyd leads her team with 32 points off 13 goals and six assists. Junior midfielder Erin Menges is the team leader with seven assists. In cage, freshman Morgan Connor has started every game registering 78 saves and a 2.47 goals against average.
Fairfield (5-12, 3-2 MAAC) vs. LIU Brooklyn (0-13, 0-5 MAAC): The Stags and Blackbirds will meet for the first time on Saturday afternoon.
A Look at the Blackbirds: LIU Brooklyn has yet to earn a win in their first season and come into the weekend having already been eliminated from postseason contention. Freshman midfielder Casey Carrigan is the team leader with five points off two goals and one assist. Freshmen Molly Jannell and Shelly Drucker have split time between the pipes this season. Combined they post a 7.08 goals against average and have racked up 112 saves.
Last Time Out: The Stags battled for first place in the MAAC against the now 5-0 Monmouth Hawks. Fairfield fell 2-0 as the Hawks wrapped up the top seed in the upcoming conference tournament with the win. The visitors ended with just eight total shots and three penalty corners as the Hawks defense was stifling. Emma Clark led the way with two shots while six other Stags fired just one. Caitlin Bennett was forced to make just three saves in net while facing 12 total shots all day.
Senior Day: Saturday will mark the final home game for the four senior captains of this 2016 squad. Each has made a tremendous impact on and off the field. Goalkeeper Caitlin Bennett has been an everyday starter since her freshman season and has earned the second most wins (29) in program history. Forward Ann Burgoyne will leave having scored more goals (53) and registering more points (117) than any other Stag. Midfielder Julie de Paeuw ranks in the Top-10 in both goals (24) and points (62) for her career and was the 2015 MAAC Player of the Year. Defender Maclaine Matties has missed just two starts during her four year career with 73 games played and was a 2015 All-MAAC Second Team selection.
MAAC Championships: Fairfield locked up a playoff berth last weekend and currently sit tied for third in the conference standings. The team can finish as high as the second seed with a win over LIU Brooklyn and a Rider win over Siena on Friday night. If Fairfield wins but Rider loses, the Stags will finish as the third seed based on the goal differential tie-breaker rules.
Looking Ahead: The team will head to West Long Branch, N.J. for the 2016 MAAC Championships beginning on Friday, November 4.
Follow the Team: Follow Fairfield field hockey all season long on Twitter and Instagram using the handle @Stags_FH.
