FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University field hockey team will continue its foray into Northeast Conference competition this weekend, playing a pair of games that will have an impact on the standings. Fairfield is currently one of four teams with a 2-1 mark in NEC play and one of six teams that have just one loss in conference action to date.
The Stags open the weekend against LIU on the road, a program playing just its second home game of the season, and finish it off by hosting Merrimack College which is looking for its first win of the campaign.
LIU is one of those six teams with just one NEC loss, sporting a 1-1 mark in conference and a 3-6 record overall. Gigi Ronaldo has paced the Sharks offense this season with her four goals and eight points through nine games played. Kiki Bruning (three goals), Jasmijn Roelofsen (two goals, two assists), and Eva Valentini (three goals) are next in line with six points each. The goalkeeping duties are handled by Fleur Hofman who has played all 560 minutes for LIU and sports a 2.04 goals against average with a .655 save percentage.
Merrimack has played its last two NEC foes well, losing a one-goal effort to Sacred Heart University before being shutout by LIU, both games coming at home. The team has a weekend road trip which begins at Stonehill before arriving in Fairfield on October 13. The two games start a run of four straight road games.
Julie Wester, Emily Beichert, and Gianna Cioni each has a goal on the season while Wester has an additional assist to hold the team lead in scoring with three points. Isabelle Gardiner has been the lone goalkeeper for Merrimack this season, making 112 saves in nine games for a .704 save percentage for the season.
Fairfield has won its last three games and four of its previous five contests which allowed the Stags to even up their overall record at 5-5. The program is also one of the four teams with 2-1 mark in conference play, winning two of three of their NEC dates.
The Stags have spread their offense across the front line as five student-athletes have eight points or better this season, led by Konni Hoffman's nine points (four goals, one assist).
Rylee LaLoup (four goals),
Alex Senior (three goals, two assists),
Pilar Mengotti (three goals, two assists), and
Erin McGinley (three goals, two assists) are each tied with eight points.
McGinley picked up seven of those points in a win over Mercyhurst, helping the senior to collect NEC co-offensive player of the week.
Emily Streib has been a mainstay in the Fairfield goal of late, collecting a 1.95 goals against average with a .757 save percentage over her seven appearances.
