ALBANY, N.Y. - The #17 UAlbany field hockey team hosts UC Davis to open conference action.
 
The Great Danes will host their first-ever Alzheimer's Awareness game in conjunction with the first America East contest of the season.
 
GAME INFORMATION
 
UC Davis at #17 UAlbany
DATE: Sunday, September 22
TIME: 2:00 PM
SITE: Alumni Turf - Albany, N.Y.
RECORDS: UAlbany 5-1, 0-0 America East; UC Davis 2-4, 0-1 America East
SERIES RECORD: 7-0, UAlbany leads
STREAM: AE.TV
STATS: UAlbanySports.com
 
*records as of 9.21
 
LAST WEEK IN REVIEW

• Playing in their first split weekend of the season, the Great Danes opened strong at #7 Harvard with an overtime victory.
• Senior Alison Smisdom led the team scoring all three goals, including within the last minute of regulation to tie the game.
• All three goals were scored during a penalty corner with assists from senior Blanca Orsola, graduate student Delphine Le Jeune (x2), and senior Floor de Ruiter.
• Hosting Drexel, UAlbany quickly gained a 3-0 lead in the first half.
• Freshman Lotje Ligthart scored the first goal with Smisdom tallying the second and third, including the eventual game-winning goal.
• The Dragons shut down the shutout with a goal in the second half but the Great Dane defense stopped any additional goals for the 3-1 win.

 
GREAT DANE REWIND

• After three weeks of competition, including two big wins at #7 Harvard and against Drexel, UAlbany has increased their preseason ranking of number 20 to 17th in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association's (NFHCA) poll.
• Overall, the Great Danes' sole loss on the season is to currently ranked #6 Ohio State. They have defeated Ohio (9.1), Merrimack (9.6), Cornell (9.8), #7 Harvard (9.13), and Drexel (9.15).
• On the eve of America East action, UAlbany has collected two wins past regulation. Both contests were against Ivy League foes - Cornell in shootouts and Harvard in the first overtime.
• Alison Smisdom leads the team with 11 goals, from six contests, and 22 points. Her 1.83 goals per game is currently leading the nation. She is also tied for first with 3.67 points per game and tied for third with three defensive saves.
• On the assist, Floor de Ruiter leads the nation with 1.17 per game (seven total).
• Sophomore Mara Küskes is not far behind with five assists - good enough to tie for sixth in the nation (.83/g).
• A Great Dane currently leads the conference in all field player statistics - Smisdom (shots, shots on goal, goals, points, game-winning goals & defensive saves), freshman Eva Jenniskens (game-winning goals), and de Ruiter (assists). Küskes is right behind de Ruiter in assists.
• Lara Behn is UAlbany's starting goalkeeper. She has played all but 30 minutes on the season, including helping the Great Danes to a win over Cornell with two saves in three shootout attempts against the Big Red.

 
ABOUT UC DAVIS

• The Aggies began the season with four consecutive contests at home. Falling to Michigan State (8.30) and Stanford (9.13), UC Davis tallied wins against Northeastern (9.6) and Kent State (9.8).
• After a loss to former America East-foe, California (9.15), the Aggies most recently traveled to Vermont to begin conference play (9.20).
• UC Davis looks to earn their first league win in Albany.
• Liselotte Koop is the Aggies' main goal scorer with five goals on the season. Five Aggies follow with one goal each.
• Three student-athletes lead with two assists each - Caroline Stutte, Ella Franken, and Beth Munro-Morris.
• Emma Giesting is the team's main goalkeeper with over 330 minutes in goal in six games.
• Mia Edwards (2) and Zoe Mohrman (1) have added to the defensive efforts with their respective defensive save totals.

SERIES AGAINST THE AGGIES

• UAlbany has an undefeated record against UC Davis, 7-0.
• In the most recent contest, UAlbany won 6-2 at home, in 2023. 
• In the matchup, returning student-athlete Alison Smisdom tallied a hat trick with assists from Charlotte Triggs, Blanca Orsola, and Mara Küskes. Current senior Isabella Del Vecchio added a goal while former Great Dane Axelle Werbrouck scored both the first and last UAlbany goals.

 
AROUND THE AMERICA EAST

• Vermont and UC Davis began conference play on Friday (9.20). The Catamounts earned the win in the contest.
• UAlbany is set to join the teams with a league game under their belt after the Great Dane-Aggie matchup on Sunday (9.22).
• In non-conference action, UAlbany leads with just one loss while Maine follows with a 5-3 record.
• Bryant and UMass Lowell are tied with three wins in six contests each.
• Vermont (2-4), UC Davis (2-4), and New Hampshire (2-5) round out the conference.

 
AMERICA EAST CONTESTS THIS WEEK

• Friday
  • Bryant 1, Stonehill 0
  • Vermont 3, UC Davis 2 (OT)
  • Fairfield 2, New Hampshire 1
• Saturday
  • Maine 6, Merrimack 0
• Sunday
  • Wake Forest at UMass Lowell, 12 pm
  • Boston College at New Hampshire, 1 pm
  • Harvard at Vermont, 1 pm
  • Stonehill at Maine, 1 pm
  • Bryant at Cornell, 2 pm
  • UC Davis at UAlbany, 2 p

 
UP NEXT
The Great Danes are set to host a two-game weekend at home to celebrate Family Weekend and the UAlbany Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2024, which includes the 2014 UAlbany field hockey team.

Keep up with all of the latest news, highlights, and insights on UAlbany field hockey by following the team on X, Instagram, and Facebook.