University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware Wraps Regular Season Play at Lafayette Friday Before Hosting Drexel Sunday in Key CAA Matchup
10/30/2014 3:32:00 PM | Field Hockey
NEWARK, Del. – The final weekend of the regular season will be crucial for postseason home-field implications for the University of Delaware field hockey team as the Blue Hens travel to Lafayette Friday for the final non-conference game before hosting Colonial Athletic Association foe Drexel Sunday at Fred P. Rullo Stadium.
Delaware (10-7, 4-1 CAA) is currently first in the CAA standings, but due to last Sunday's loss to Hofstra, the Blue Hens need to defeat Drexel in addition to relying on the Pride losing to William & Mary (Friday) and/or James Madison (Sunday) to stay atop the league.
CAA RANKINGS UPDATE (as of 11/1): In order for Delaware to host the CAA Tournament, the Blue Hens must defeat Drexel.
Should these scenarios happen, Delaware will host the CAA Field Hockey Championships for the second consecutive season, Nov. 7-9.
ADMISSION
Admission is free and open to the public for all home Delaware field hockey games held at Fred P. Rullo Stadium.
SENIOR DAY
The Blue Hens will honor seniors Morgan Hudson (Wilmington, Del./Concord), Kelsey McKee (Gap, Pa./Coatesville) and Rebecca Pepper (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen) in a pregame ceremony.
TRICK OR TREAT
All kids 12 and younger in costume will receive a coupon book filled with fun Blue Hens surprises.
LIVE STATS
Live stats for both games will be available through www.BlueHens.com.
ONLINE
Follow Delaware field hockey online at facebook.com/DelawareFieldHockey and on Twitter at @DelawareFH.
LAST TIME OUT
Hofstra put the pressure on early and never let up as the Blue Hens had their 12-game CAA winning streak halted Sunday with a 5-2 loss to the Pride. Redshirt sophomore Maddie O'Beirne (Vienna, Va./George C. Marshall) and junior Michaela Patzner (Rosenheim, Germany/Karolinen Gymnasium) each tallied goals for Delaware.
HEN SCRATCHINGS
· At 10-7, Delaware has reached double figure wins in a single season for the 28thtime in program history and eighth time since 2001.
· The Blue Hens have had 12 players tally at least one point this season.
· Nine of the Blue Hens' 17 games have been won or lost by just one goal. UD is 7-2 in one goal games this season.
· Redshirt sophomore Maddie O'Beirne (Vienna, Va./George C. Marshall) will celebrate her 21st birthday Saturday.
· Junior Michaela Patzner (Rosenheim, Germany/Karolinen Gymnasium) leads the team with 26 points on nine goals and eight assists. She continues to climb in the Blue Hens record books and has 83 career points (32g, 19a), which is good for 12thin UD history. Beth Manley (1983-86) is 11thin the program record books with 84 career points on 33 goals and 18 assists.
· Junior Allie Mikelson (Emmaus, Pa./Emmaus) is currently ranked first nationally with a school-record 10 defensive saves.
· As a team, the Blue Hens are tied for first in the NCAA with 12 defensive saves through 17 games played, the most since 2000 when UD recorded 12 in 20 games.
· Freshman Emmeline Oltmans (Baarn, The Netherlands/Het Baarnsch Lyceum) has seen action in 992 minutes this season and tallied 59 saves (.628) with 2.47 goals allowed per game.
· Jennifer Stone (Lafayette '04) is in her second season as the head coach for the Leopards after serving six seasons at her alma mater as an assistant coach.
· A member of the U.S. Masters' World Cup roster, Denise Zelenak (West Chester' 91) is in her 20thyear at the helm of the Drexel field hockey program. Zelenak has recorded 212 wins since taking over the team in 1995.
ABOUT LAFAYETTE
After opening the year winning four of their first five games, the Leopards are 6-10 on the year prior to hosting Delaware in their regular season finale Friday. Lafayette has now lost four of its last five, including a 4-0 defeat at the hands of No. 16 Temple last Sunday. Senior Kelsey Mead leads the team in scoring with six goals and six assists for 18 points while sophomore Amanda Magadan has posted six goals and one assist for 13 points. Sophomore Katelyn Arnold and senior Jessica Deutsch have split time in the cage this season as the team as a whole has allowed 2.23 goals per game with 76 saves.
ABOUT DREXEL
The Dragons are 8-8 overall and 0-4 in the CAA prior to their Halloween game at Towson. Drexel has lost four of its last five games, including two straight to CAA opponents James Madison (2-1) and William & Mary (2-0). The Dragons are guided on field by senior Rachel Sumfest's 23 points (8g, 7a). Additionally, Sumfest is tops in all offensive categories (points, goals, assists, shots, shots on goal, game-winning goals) for Drexel. Defensively, senior Jantien Gunter, a two-time CAA Player of the Week honoree, leads the conference with 1.42 goals per game and is tied for first with 78 saves.
