FAIRFIELD, Conn. – For the fifth straight week, the Fairfield University field hockey team will enter a week as a nationally-ranked team. The Stags open play as the 24^th-ranked team in the latest National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll, hitting a peak of 23^rd earlier in the season.

                More importantly, this week's stretch includes a pair of Northeast Conference games that could help the Stags clinch a spot in the 2019 NEC tournament which offers a path to the NCAA tournament. Currently, the Stags are 3-0 in conference action but still have three formidable foes in front of them, beginning with Wagner College on Thursday afternoon. The game begins at 4 pm. Two days later, the Stags will head to Durham, N.H. for a neutral site match up with Merrimack College.

                The Stags bring a five-match winning streak into competition after sporting a program-tying seven-game winning streak earlier in the campaign. Fairfield has been winning because of its stingy defense which allowed just four goals in its current winning streak after allowing just five goals during that seven-gamer during September.

                At the heart of the Stags defense are senior Emily Halderson, sophomore Luzi Persiehl, and junior Zoe Rosen. Halderson, the team's lone senior, remains the center of the Stags defensive line that has allowed just 18 goals in 14 games. Persiehl has enjoyed success on both sides of the pitch with her ability to patrol the middle third and thwart potential scoring chances before they become dangerous. And Rosen serves as the team's final line of defense, a role that she has accepted and excelled with her 1.27 goals against average (15^th in Division I) and her .743 save percentage (24^th in Division I).

                While the defense keeps teams off the scoreboard, the Stags have a trio of student-athletes who have been lighting up scoreboards all season long. Danielle Profita continues to set the pace with her six goals and six assists for 18 points. Freshman Julianna Kratz is one point off the top spot with 17 points, posting five goals and six assists. Persiehl has also netted five goals this season with all of them representing the game winning score.

                Wagner looks to improve on its 1-9 overall record, dropping its last nine games after opening the campaign with its 3-0 decision over Hofstra University. Thursday's match will mark the Seahawks' second game against a nationally-ranked opponent, falling to #20 Albany by a 4-0 score last month.

                Kira Mordvinov leads the team in scoring with four goals and eight points, nearly half of the team's nine goals scored this season. Hannah Meyer is next in line with seven points, posting a goal and a team-best three assists. Annabel Zandvoort (.676 save percentage) and Justine van Spengler (.652 save percentage have shared the goalkeeping duties this season.

                Merrimack starts the week with a 2-12 overall record and a 1-3 NEC mark, including a 5-1 setback against #25 Providence in its last outing. The team's conference win came in overtime, a 2-1 decision over Bryant University on October 4. Catherine Henaire represents the team's top scorer with two goals and an assist for five points, followed by Collen Ellis' two goals and four points. Katharina Ohmen has spent most of the time in the Merrimack goal, sporting a 3.24 goals against average with a .784 save percentage.