FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University field hockey team will close out its three-game home stand this Friday when the team hosts Yale University at University Field. The game is scheduled for a 4 pm start.

The Stags are looking to rebound from a hard-fought 2-1 loss to La Salle University last Sunday, a match which Fairfield nearly doubled up the Explores with a 15-8 advantage in shots. A bulk of the Stags' shots came in the final 15 minutes when the team posted eight attempts, many of which came off the seven fourth-quarter penalty corners.

Konni Hofmann emerged as the team's top offensive threat during the week, posting five points which included a goal and an assist in the team's 5-0 win over the College of the Holy Cross last Friday. She followed with three points against La Salle, netting the tying goal in the second quarter. Hofmann holds a one-point edge on the Stags' cumulative scoring sheet over Rylee LaLoup, who tallied a goal in each of the first two games.

Fairfield has received qualities efforts in goal from graduate student Emily Streib and senior Payton Rahn this season. Streib occupied the Stags' goal in the first and third games of the season while Rahn patrolled the goal area in the Holy Cross game. The duo has combined for a 2.00 goals against average and a .636 save percentage, allowing four goals and making seven saves.

Yale University comes into the game with a 2-0 record after opening up the season with a 6-1 win over Lehigh and a 2-1 decision over Drexel. Ellie Barlow paced the Bulldogs' offense with two goals and two assists for six points, scoring a goal in each of those two games For her efforts, Barlow was named the Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week. Poppy Beales also came away with a pair of goals in the opening weekend, placing second among her teammates with four points.

Alexa Pitts handles the goalkeeper duties for Yale, allowing a goal in each of her first two starts. She enters the Fairfield match with a 0.94 goals against average with .833 save percentage, making 10 saves in her two appearances.

The Stags will close out the weekend with their second road trip of the season, heading to Lehigh University on Sunday for a 1 pm match. The Mountain Hawks bring a 2-2 overall record into the weekend which does not include Friday's home date with La Salle University.

Kiki Mes paces the offense with two goals for four points including one game winner while Julia Gatelin and Eleni Kountrobis are tied for second among their teammates with three points. Kountrobis also has one game-winning tally, helping decide the Wagner goal in the 51^st minute of play. Goalkeeper Jenny Canoni has played a majority of the minutes in goal, sporting a 3.53 goals against average and 20 saves in her four appearances this season.

Following this weekend's action, the Stags will return home for a September 20 game against the University of New Hampshire. Game time is slated for 4 pm.