FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- For the second time in three seasons, the Fairfield University field hockey team will open play in the NCAA Field Hockey Championship with an opening round game. After hosting the game in 2019, the Stags will travel this year for a match up with 17th-ranked University of Delaware on Wednesday afternoon. The game is scheduled for a 1 pm start.

Fairfield earned the right to play in the NCAA championship with its two-game sweep in the Northeast Conference (NEC) Championship, edging fourth-seeded Rider University in the semifinals before beating third-seeded LIU by a 3-1 count in the championship game. The two wins gave the Stags nine wins against no losses against NEC opponents this year, the same achievement that the program earned during the 2019 campaign. 

After the Stags allowed just one goal in its first six conference games this season, they found themselves surrendering the game's first goal in its last three NEC meetings beginning with their final regular-season NEC date with Bryant. Rider and LIU also scored first in the NEC Tournament before Fairfield rallied to win all three games. Fairfield enters the NCAA Field Hockey Championship with a 14-8 overall record which includes six straight wins beginning with a 5-1 decision over Saint Francis University on October 22.

Fairfield's offense has found its rhythm over the last six games, scoring 18 goals including two five-goal efforts against St. Francis and Merrimack College. Three Stags represent the heart of the team's offensive success, a trio which includes NEC Player of the Year Malen Iglesias as well as All-NEC performers Danielle Profita and Julianna Kratz. Iglesias has already accumulated 20 points this season with nine goals and two assists while Profita is a close second with 19 points off seven goals and five assists. Kratz is next on the scoring list with 15 points, registering six goals and three assists. 

On the other side of the pitch, the Stags put forth a menacing defense that allowed only four goals during this six-game winning streak including shutouts over Vermont and Merrimack. The Stags boast two All-NEC defenders in Emily Kness and Mackenzie Boyle along with defensive midfielder Luzi Persiehl. The threesome has frustrated the opposition all season long and provided goalkeeper Zoe Rosen with ample support.

Rosen has ranked among the top goalkeepers statistically for most of the season, placing fifth in save percentage (.817) and ninth in goals against average (1.10). Her 96 saves this season are a career high for her, breaking down to 5.05 per game which places her 25th in the nation.

Delaware moved up to the 17^th spot in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) national poll following its sweep in the CAA Championship, knocking off William & Mary in the semifinals and top-seeded James Madison in the championship. The Blue Hens have won 10 of their last 12 contests and bring a 12-8 overall record into Wednesday's match.

Morgan Rigual scored three goals in the CAA championship with a pair against William & Mary and another in the James Madison game. Her performance raised her season scoring total to seven goals and two assists for 16 points. Julia Duffhuis leads the team with 13 goals and an assist for 27 points through her 20 appearances this season. Femke Strein and Ashlyn Carr are the team's top playmakers with 11 assists each.

Goalkeeper Lizzie Gaebel has played over 1100 minutes for the Blue Hens and used that time to make 72 saves and earn four shutouts. She brings a 1.70 goals against average with a .686 save percentage into the contests after making 10 saves in the two CAA tournament games, highlighted by her eight stops against James Madison

The winner of this game will travel to top-ranked Rutgers University on Friday at 11 am. Liberty University and Saint Joseph's University complete the bracket and will play after the 11 am game.