FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University field hockey team will return home for a brief stay when it hosts the University of New Hampshire on Friday afternoon. The game is slated for University Field beginning at 4 pm.
The Stags are looking to get back on track after dropping a pair of games last week, falling to Yale University by a 1-0 score at home and Lehigh University by a 2-0 count on the road. Goalkeeper
Payton Rahn played in both of those contests and posted a 1.56 goals against average with a .667 save percentage on those two dates.
The senior goalkeeper remains at the top of the Northeast Conference statistics with her 1.03 season goals against average, allowing three goals in a 170-plus minutes this season. She has one shutout to her credit, earning a clean sheet against the College of the Holy Cross in early September. Teammate
Emily Streib has started two matches between the Fairfield posts, gaining four saves during that time which includes a season-best three stops in the La Salle game.
In the offensive circle,
Konni Hofmann has enjoyed early success with two goals and an assist for five points. The junior currently places seventh among the NEC scoring leaders for total points and is one of 16 student-athletes in the NEC with two goals or more as of September 19.
Rylee LaLoup is also a multiple goal scorer this season, finding the back of the net against Bryant University and Holy Cross.
New Hampshire brings a 2-4 overall record into this weekend and plays its sixth date away from home on Friday. The team won its only home game this season, a 3-0 win over Lafayette, after playing three away contests and two neutral site contests. The Wildcats have dropped their last two matches, including a setback against sixth-ranked University of Iowa. The program has also faced #13 St. Jospeh's University and 14
th ranked UConn.
Kathelijne Knuttel paces the offense with nine total points, netting four goals and one assist which includes one game-winning goal. The team also has three other multi-goal scorers, namely Tasmin Cookman, Brecken Calcari, and Nicole Poulakis who each have two goals.
The Wildcats have split time between two goalkeepers with Abby Johnson seeing a majority of the action with 220 minutes. She owns a 2.72 goals against average with 15 saves in five appearances. Kerigan Ross posts a 3.87 goals against average with 13 saves in 139 minutes over four games played.
After hosting the Wildcats, Fairfield will open play in the Northeast Conference by traveling to Rider University on Friday, September 27 for a 4 pm match up. The Stags will return home for three dates after taking on Rider, hosting the University of Maine (September 29), Wagner College (October 4), and Mercyhurst University (October 6).
