FAIRFIELD, Conn. – With a five-game win streak in hand, the Fairfield University field hockey team will take to the road for the final time this regular season for a three-game trip beginning this weekend. The team will head to Hofstra University on Friday afternoon before moving on to the University of Vermont on Sunday afternoon.

The Stags' current run of victories all come against NEC opponents, beginning with an overtime decision against Wagner on September 19. Since that date, Fairfield split its next four wins between road and home wins to improve its overall record to 7-4 and its conference mark to 5-0. Head Coach Laura Gebhart's group is one of only two remaining unbeaten teams in the NEC, joining Saint Francis which stands at 4-0.

This weekend, the Stags return to non-conference play with their matches against Hofstra and Vermont. The non-conference slate has included a pair of Ivy League opponents and a nationally-ranked team in Syracuse University so far. Now, the team will concentrate on a pair of teams that compete in the America East and CAA conferences.

Vermont brings a 6-5 overall record into the weekend which includes a 4-3 win over the University of New Hampshire in the team's lone America East game. The Catamounts have scored at least four goals in each of their six wins, highlighted by an eight-goal outburst against NEC foe Merrimack.

Sophia LeFranc and Alicia Battistelli have had the most success inside the circle this season with both scoring a team-high six goals. Battistelli has accomplished her goal total primarily as a reserve, coming off the bench for 10 of her 11 appearances. Merle Vaandrager has spent a majority of the minutes in the goal, posting a .691 save percentage off 47 saves and a 2.05 goals against average.

Hofstra looks to even things up this weekend, registering a 5-6 overall record and an 0-2 mark in the CAA. Two of their wins have come against NEC opponents, edging Sacred Heart University and Rider University earlier in the season. The Pride own a 5-2 record when they score at least two goals in a game this season.

Teresa Karoff paces the offense with her five goals and two assists, representing the team's lone double-figure scorer with 12 points. Gwenn van Dijk places second among her teammates with her two goals and team-best four assists for eight points. Luci Hollister has started nine of her 10 appearances which has translated into a 1.84 goals against average with a .743 save percentage.

The Stags have a balanced attack that has seen 12 different student-athletes score at least one goal this season. Alex Senior has netted a team-best seven goals this season and has 15 points through her 11 appearances. Pilar Mengotti, Kaelyn Fogelson, Konni Hofmann, and Rylee LaLoup each have five goals on the ledger. Fogelson posted two goals in the win against Sacred Heart last week which helped her earn the NEC Rookie of the Week award. Goalkeeper Payton Rahn owns a 1.53 goals against average with a .667 save percentage off 30 stops this year.