FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University field hockey begins play in the 2024 Northeast Conference (NEC) Championship on Thursday afternoon, one of four teams vying for the NCAA automatic berth that goes to the NEC champion. The third-seeded Stags will play the second semifinal against second-seeded Rider University beginning at 2 pm. The championship is hosted by regular-season champion Wagner College, who will play the fourth-seeded LIU at 11 am.
Fairfield and Rider played in their conference opener back on September 27 with the Broncs edging the Stags by a 1-0 count in Lawrenceville, N.J. Fairfield will play its 11
th NEC tournament game on Thursday with Rider being an opponent for the sixth time. The Broncs hold a slight 3-2 edge from the first five conference matches, last meeting in the 2022 edition.
The Stags split a pair of games last weekend to close out the regular season, defeating Stonehill College on November 1 to clinch their tournament berth before falling at the University of Delaware on November 3. Fairfield earned 10 wins this season, the fourth straight season which the program reached double figures in the win column and the 11
th time under Head Coach
Jackie Kane.
Those victories come from a proper blend of offense and defense that have served the Stags well this year. Fairfield averages 2.39 goals per game with a group of upperclassmen providing most of those scores.
Konni Hofmann paces the offense with 17 points off six goals and five assists.
Rylee LaLoup also has six goals to comprise her 12 points.
Pilar Mengotti posted five goals during the regular season, all game winners, while
Alice Pifferi leads the squad with 10 assists in her 18 appearances.
Defensively,
Payton Rahn and
Emily Streib have handled the goalkeeping duties with Streib appearing in 13 matches and Rahn garnering minutes in seven games. Streib owns a 2.05 goals against average with a .696 save percentage while Rahn has a 1.02 goals against average with a .800 save percentage.
Rider ranks as the top offensive team in the NEC with 2.78 goals per game, a number buoyed by Olivia Machiavelli's 14 goals and four assists for 32 points. Valeria Perales is also a double-digit goal scorer with 10 plus two assists for 22 points. Jade Regnart spent the majority of minutes in the Rider goal, putting together a 1.87 goals against average with a .734 save percentage off 91 saves.
Top-seeded Wagner also has a potent offense that averages 2.41 goals per game, scoring four or more goals five times in the regular season. Floortje Leunisse enjoyed a solid regular season with nine goals and seven assists for 25 points, slightly higher than Cami Valor (10 goals, 3 assists, 23 points) and Charlotte Muller (8 goals, 6 assists, 22 points). Saar van Dalen handled the goalkeeping duties and put up a 1.43 goals against average and a .762 save percentage.
LIU enters the tournament winning four of its last six games including four of five NEC matches. Kiki Bruning leads the team in scoring and goals scored with 16 points off seven goals and two assists. GiGi Ranoldo is next in line with 13 points, netting six goals and adding one assist. Goalkeeper Fleur Hofman posted a 1.74 goals against average with a .703 save percentage off 64 saves through her 16 appearances.
