University of Delaware Athletics
Blue Hens Open 2015 Slate This Weekend in Michigan
8/27/2015 11:39:00 AM | Field Hockey
NEWARK, Del. – The reigning back-to-back Colonial Athletic Association champion University of Delaware field hockey team returns to action this weekend as the Blue Hens travel to the Midwest to take on Central Michigan and No. 18 Michigan State.
UD kicks off the 2015 campaign Friday with a 1 p.m. contest against the Chippewas at the CMU Field Hockey Complex before facing the Spartans Sunday at 11:30 a.m. at Ralph Young Field.
The expectations continue to remain high for the Hens, who were predicted to finish atop the CAA once again in the league's preseason poll. Delaware returns 10 starters from last year's championship squad, including CAA Preseason Player of the Year and junior All-American Esmée Peet (Zeewolde, The Netherlands/RSG Slingerbos).
BROADCAST
Neither match will have a live broadcast feed.
LIVE STATS
· Friday at Central Michigan
· Sunday at Michigan State
ONLINE
Follow Delaware field hockey online at facebook.com/DelawareFieldHockey and on Twitter at @DelawareFH.
· The Blue Hens return 13 letterwinners from last season and add nine newcomers to the roster.
· This season is the 45th overall in program history. In the previous 44 seasons, Delaware has tallied a composite record of 479-312-39 (.577) with 28 10-plus-win seasons.
· UD features a total of seven international players on the roster.
· Delaware field hockey continues to be a family affair as freshmen twins Sabrina Rhodes and Sydney Rhodes join senior Allie Mikelson and sophomore Krissy Mikelson in having sisters as teammates.
· Meghan Winesett has fully recovered after undergoing back surgery in January.
· Michaela Patzner is currently 10th all-time in program history with 90 career points on 35 goals (t-10th) and 20 assists (t-seventh).
· Allie Mikelson is tied for third in the record books with 11 career defensive saves. Last season, Mikelson posted a school-record 10 defensive saves.
SERIES INFORMATION
· Delaware is 4-6 against this weekend's two opponents.
· The Blue Hens are 2-1 all-time against Central Michigan. Most recently, Esmée Peet scored the first two goals of her career as UD defeated the Chippewas, 4-2, on Sept. 6, 2013 at Fred P. Rullo Stadium.
· Michigan State holds a 5-2 advantage over Delaware, but the Hens captured the victory on Sept. 15, 2013 with a 5-1 win at home. Michaela Patzner and Maddie O'Beirne led the Hens with two goals apiece. Previously, the Spartans had won three straight over UD. MSU's last victory came with a 7-0 decision on Nov. 14, 2009 in the NCAA Tournament.
· Molly Pelowski (Michigan '05, Central Michigan '09, Spring Arbor '13) is in her first season as the head coach of the Chippewas after taking over the CMU coaching reins in 2015 from Cristy Freese, the 2014 MAC Coach of the Year. Pelowski most recently served as an assistant coach at Michigan State; a position she held for the last seven years. Freese moved into an administrative role at CMU.
· Helen Knull (Kent State '05) is beginning her fifth year as the head coach of the Spartans. She is 41-42 all-time at Michigan State. Knull served as an assistant coach under Van de Kerkhof at MSU from 2006-10.
ABOUT CENTRAL MICHIGAN
The Chippewas finished 2014 with a mark of 7-12 while going 5-1 in the MAC to claim the regular season title. CMU was ousted by Ohio in the MAC semifinals by a score of 3-0. The squad returns 10 letterwinners (seven starters) to the fold, but lost six of its top seven scorers to graduation. The Chippewas also welcome seven newcomers to Mount Pleasant. Junior Haley Bova finished 2014 third on the team with four goals and fourth with eight points. Sadie Lynn Reynolds, a two-time Second Team All-MAC selection, will anchor the CMU defense for the third straight season. Reynolds posted 153 saves last season.
ABOUT NO. 19 MICHIGAN STATE
The Spartans are coming off a 10-9 season in 2014, going 4-4 in Big Ten play and tying for fifth in the conference alongside Iowa. MSU fell to Penn State in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament. Despite losing All-American Abby Barker (14g, 12 a) to graduation, the 2015 squad returns 17 players from last season and will add six freshmen to the mix. Junior Kristin Matula, the top-returning scorer, started 18 of 19 games last season and finished with three goals and three assists. Heather Howie and Simone Vagnoni joined Matula in being named Big Ten Players to Watch. Sierra Patton returns to the cage for the Spartans after finishing second in the league with 116 saves last season.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please contact Maggie Hayon | mhayon@udel.edu | O: 302-831-6389 | C: 920-912-6635
