Field Hockey Kicks off 2014 With Hofstra, Bryant and Ohio State
FIELD HOCKEY SCHEDULEHOFSTRA LIVE STATSBRYANT LIVE STATSOHIO STATE LIVE STATS
ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany field hockey team starts the season at Alumni Turf this weekend with three games in four days. The Great Danes face Hofstra on Friday, Bryant on Sunday and Ohio State on Monday. All three games are slated to begin at 1:00 p.m.
UAlbany was a unanimous pick to win the America East this season, after reaching the league championship one year ago. Phil Sykes's squad plays three home games this weekend before hitting the road for five games in a row.
| Friday, Aug. 29 at 1:00 p.m.| HOFSTRA (0-0) |
| UAlbany leads series 6-1 |
| Last Result: W, 4-1, at Hempstead, N.Y., Oct., 20, 2013 |
The Pride returns nine starters from last year's squad that went 6-14 overall and 2-4 in the CAA. In her 17th season at the helm Kathy De Angelis welcomes 20 underclassmen including 11 freshmen in 2014. Last season's leading scorer and senior captain Jonel Boileau takes the pitch again this season after earning NFHCA All-Region accolades for the second-straight year. The Pride welcomes back a wealth of experience, but will have a new look in the cage this season after the graduation of two-year starter Kaitlyn De Turo.
In their match-up last season, the Great Danes used four different goal scorers to down the Pride on Oct. 20. Two of the four tallies came from returners Kelly Bonner and Amy Nicklin.
| Sunday, Aug. 31 at 1:00 p.m. | BRYANT (0-0) |
| UAlbany leads series 2-0 |
| Last Result: W, 8-0 at Providence, R.I., Aug, 30., 2013 |
Bryant was picked to finish fourth in the MAAC Preseason Poll, and boasts two Preseason All-MAAC picks in midfielder Erin Karcher and defender Kelsey Hiltebeitel. The Bulldogs welcome back their leading scorer from last season in Rosie Bird, who scored 12 goals in her junior campaign. Bryant went 11-7 in 2013 with a seven-game winning streak after falling to UAlbany in its season opener.
Liza Morgan scored three goals to lead the Great Danes to an 8-0 victory last season against Bryant. Paula Heuser and Molly Mariano also notched their first career goals in the Aug. 30 game.
| Monday, Sept. 1 at 1:00 p.m. | OHIO STATE (0-0) |
| Ohio State leads series 3-0 |
| Last Result: L, 1-2 OT at State College, Pa., NCAA Tournament, Nov. 13, 2010 |
The Buckeyes return half of their starters from a team that went 6-13 and 0-6 in the Big Ten last season, including leading scorer Peanut Johnson. Johnson was an NFHCA All-Region selection as well as a Second Team All-Big Ten pick last season. She scored 10 goals in her sophomore season. Ohio State does not return its leader in the assist column from last season, Nina Laudahn, and also lost its second leading scorer to graduation.
The last meeting between UAlbany and Ohio State was a heartbreaker, ending in an overtime loss for the Great Danes in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2010. The Purple & Gold led for the first half of that contest in State College, Pa.
