University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware Field Hockey Set to Play Saint Joseph?s and Wake Forest in Final Non-conference Weekend
9/23/2011 9:54:00 PM | Field Hockey
NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware field hockey team will split this weekend on the road and at Rullo Stadium with a match-up at Saint Joseph's on Saturday at 1 p.m. and a home game against Wake Forest on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Scouting the University of Delaware Blue Hens (4-4):
The Blue Hens are coming off a tough 3-2 overtime loss to Monmouth on Wednesday and have lost three of their last four to fall to .500 on the season.
Delaware tied the game twice with goals coming from a pair of freshmen. Kelsey McKee blasted a shot from the top of the circle off a penalty corner with assists from Kayla Schweitzer and Amanda McCardell to tie the game at 1-1, 11:06 into the second half.
Just over a minute and a half after the Hawks retook the lead, Meredith Bonnell knotted the score once again with in 62nd minute after a scramble in front of the cage resulted with the ball on her stick and the open goal.
Tory Sharpless leads the Blue Hens with five goals, also contributing one assist for 11 points. Wednesday's goal was McKee's fourth on the season, as she has nine points on the year.
The Blue Hens has used 10 different goal scorers this season, while 13 different players have recorded at least one point.
Delaware begins the Colonial Athletic Association schedule next Friday, September 30, when William & Mary visits Rullo Stadium.
Saturday's matchup against Saint Joseph's ends a six game home stand for the Blue Hens.
Scouting the Saint Joseph's University Hawks (2-4):
The Hawks are returning to campus for the first time since November 3, 2007, as they open the new Ellen Ryan Field for the first time against the Blue Hens. The game will take place on the Maguire Campus, located on City Avenue, directly across the street from Cardinal Avenue.
While Saturday's contest will be the first on the new turf field, the University will officially dedicate Ellen Ryan Field on Friday, October 7, before the Hawk take on crosstown rival Temple.
The Hawks coming into Saturday's contest on a two-game winning streak, having defeated Penn, 3-1, on September 11, and Lehigh, 1-0, on September 18.
Saint Joseph's lost its first four games of the season prior to the two-game winning streak, losing to CAA foes Drexel, 4-1, and Towson, 4-3.
Ellen Rowe leads the Hawks with four goals and an assist for nine points. Theresa Testa notched her team-high sixth assist against Lehigh on Sunday. Meghan Githens was on the goal-scoring end of Testa's pass, her first of the season. Githens also has recorded an assist for three points.
Liz Messaros has started five games for the Hawks, making 28 stops for a 2.69 goals against average. She was in goal for the team's lone shutout of the season.
Scouting the Wake Forest University Demon Deacons (1-6, 0-2 ACC):
Wake Forest is coming into this weekend off back-to-back overtime losses against Ohio State and ACC rival North Carolina.
They will visit Maryland on Saturday before swinging over to Newark for a non-conference matchup.
Against the Tar Heels, Taylor Rhea scored her second goal of the season in the 40th minute on an assist from fellow sophomore Molly Murphy. Rhea's goal came just after halftime and tied the score at 1-1. UNC won the game with 15 seconds left on the clock in the first overtime.
The loss marks the second straight game that Wake Forest has lost in overtime. In addition, the Demon Deacons have now lost three straight games by one goal, and five of Wake's six losses of the season have all come by one goal.
The lone win on the season was another overtime matchup against Louisville, 3-2, on September 4.
Kari Walkley leads the Demon Deacons with three goals and six points on the season. Anna Kozniuk also has six points but has scored two goals and contributed on two assists. Rhea, Lizzie Rae, and Kaitlin Piosa have all scored two goals in 2011.
Kaitlyn Ruhf has played every minute in goal for Wake Forest, making 33 saves while allowing 18 goals. She carries a 2.43 goals against average on the season.
