FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- After opening the season with a weekend in Massachusetts, the Fairfield University field hockey team will get its first opportunity to play at home this weekend when the Stags host the University of Vermont on Friday (4 pm) and St. Francis Pa. on Sunday (12 pm). Both games will be played at University Field on the Fairfield University campus.

Head Coach Jackie Kane saw her squad open the 2019 season with a split, falling to the UMass Lowell in the season opener before rallying for three unanswered goals to defeat #13 Boston College in overtime. Luzi Persiehl netted the game winning goal less than two minutes into overtime to complete the come back. Freshman Julianna Kratz had a hand in team's two fourth-quarter goals that tied the game, scoring the first goal and setting up the tying goal. Both student-athlete earned weekly honors from the Northeast Conference with Persiehl garnering offensive player of the week and Kratz collecting co-rookie of the week.

Goalkeeper Zoe Rosen, who was nationally ranked in save percentage and goals against average a year ago, made 22 saves in the two games to help her pick up the NEC defensive player of the week, a number highlighted by her 15 saves against the nationally-ranked Eagles. Rosen started the season with seven saves against UMass Lowell, giving her a double-digit save average coming into the home stand.

Vermont also played a nationally-ranked team in its season opening weekend, falling to 18th-ranked Syracuse University by a 4-3 count in overtime. The Catamounts held the lead twice in the game, the first time coming at 2-1 as Kate Hall tallied back-to-back goals that erase an early 1-0 lead by the Orange. After Syracuse tied the game, Sydney Melfi made things even with her first goal of the campaign with just over six minutes remaining in regulation. Syracuse won the game in overtime by scoring the deciding goal six minutes into the first overtime period. Goalkeeper Sierra Espeland made seven saves for Vermont, including four in the fourth quarter.

Saint Francis University opened the season in Ohio, playing a pair of games at Kent State, and came home with a 0-2 record. The Red Flash started the weekend with a 5-2 loss to the host school with both goals coming off the stick of Taylor Nesmith. Nesmith netted both of her goals just two minutes apart with the first coming in the 54th minute. In the second game, Michigan State knocked off St. Francis by a 7-0 count, outshooting the Red Flash by a 24-8 count. Goalkeeper Claudia Marzac made eight saves in her 60 minutes of work, giving the redshirt senior 16 saves for the weekend.

The Stags will return to the road after this weekend's home dates, traveling to St. Louis for matches with Kent State University on September 13 and Indiana University on September 15.