FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- Sophomore Payton Rahn collected her second Northeast Conference (NEC) Defensive Player of the Week award after helping the Fairfield University field hockey team post a shootout victory over Yale University last Sunday. The goalkeeper also received the weekly honor from the conference on September 7.

Although the Stags played just one game last week, the team presented one of the program's most thrilling victories at University Field. Fairfield and Yale put to a draw after regulation and 20 additional minutes of overtime, setting up a shootout to decide the winner. The Bulldogs scored on their first three attempts to take an early advantage but Rahn stepped up and did not allow another shootout goal over Yale's next six attempts. Meanwhile, Fairfield erased that early deficit in the shootout and managed to win on the team's ninth attempt to secure a 4-3 margin in the shootout and providing the winning margin in the 3-2 victory.

In addition to Rahn's six shootout stops, the Connecticut native was equally effective during the match itself. She faced 11 shots during the 80 minutes of play and made six saves to keep the Stags in the game. Rahn has been among the nation's leaders for saves per game throughout the campaign, currently placing 17th with 6.0 saves per contests. She also ranks 37th in the country with her .720 save percentage, registering 54 saves while allowing 21 goals (2.20 goals against average). 

The Fairfield University field hockey team, under Head Coach Jackie Kane, brings a 3-6 overall record into this week after the Yale victory. The Stags will open NEC play this week when the team travels to Sacred Heart University on Friday, September 30. The match will take place at Johnson Field on the Yale University campus in New Haven with the start time slated for 1 pm.