FIELD HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
A trip to the Wolverine State is on tap this weekend for Vermont field hockey as the Catamounts (1-1) meet Central Michigan on Friday afternoon (Sept. 1) in a neutral-site contest at Michigan State University. That match is scheduled for 3 p.m. and will be followed by a Sunday (Sept. 3) matinee against host Michigan State at 11 a.m. These matches will be among the first to be played on brand new artificial turf at Ralph Young Field.
 
Fans can follow along during both matches with free live stats through CBS GameTracker.
 
RELATED LINKS
Central Michigan: Live Stats
Michigan State: Live Stats

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CATAMOUNTS RECAP
Vermont split a pair of matches in its opening weekend, taking down Siena on Friday (Aug. 25) before falling just short at No. 22 Massachusetts (Aug. 27). Landon Warren scored twice in the 3-1 Siena victory and Jackie Gillen added a goal of her own in her first game action since 2015. Lena Benwood needed three saves to preserve the result.
 
On Sunday UVM battled back from an early deficit against the Minutewomen, but UMass registered the game-winning tally in the 21st minute to give the home squad a 2-1 decision. Although the Catamounts pressured offensively down the stretch, the Green and Gold could not ultimately solve UMass goalkeeper Emily Hazard. All three goals in the match came off penalty corners.
 
SCOUTING CENTRAL MICHIGAN
The Chippewas (0-2) are coming off of a 3-2 overtime setback at the hands of Lock Haven on Aug. 27. CMU held the lead for most of the second half, but a late rally brought Lock Haven back even before Alyscia Smith found the cage off a direct corner 54 seconds into the extra session.
 
Statistically speaking, sophomore Jasmine Banks has played a key offensive role early for CMU with a goal plus an assist. Junior Lily Amadio carried the Chippewas in the cage last weekend, making a total of 13 saves. The second half is where the group has had some difficulty, as five of its seven goals against have come in the final 35 minutes of regulation.
 
Molly Pelowski is in her third season guiding the Chippewas following seven seasons working with the goalkeepers at Michigan State. Fans of University of Michigan field hockey will recall that Pelowski as well as Vermont head coach Kate Pfeifer were teammates at U-M and were members of the Wolverines squad that were crowned National Champions in 2001.
 
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE
Michigan State reached the Big Ten Tournament in 2016 as the No. 6 seed before falling to in-state rival Michigan in the quarterfinal round. Early on this year, the team sits at 2-1, knocking off California and UC Davis on the road following a 4-0 setback against No. 25 Pacific. Redshirt senior Kendal Anderson has a pair of goals, while senior Kate Miller has been in the cage for the entirety of all three contests.
 
The 2017 season is Helen Knull's seventh as head coach in East Lansing, however she also spent the five previous years as an assistant and associate head coach with the program. In 2013, Knull led the Spartans to the Big Ten Tournament Championship and a pair of wins in the NCAA Tournament over Miami (Ohio) and Syracuse. The result against Syracuse halted a 45-game home win streak for the Orange.
 
The Spartans will meet No. 21 American on Friday night before crossing paths with Vermont.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Vermont picked up its first win over Central Michigan last year in the Catamounts' season-opener at Moulton Winder Field. Carla Godsman deflected a feed in the 17th minute to tally the game-winning goal in a 2-1 decision over the Chippewas. CMU does lead the overall series 2-1 dating back to 2005.
 
UVM has never squared off with Michigan State, although all-time the Green and Gold have rattled off two victories against current members of the Big Ten. In 2008 the Catamounts took down No. 15 ranked Ohio State 3-2 at home after Lauren Burke scored in the 70th minute, giving the program its second all-time win over a ranked foe. The previous season, the Cats defeated Rutgers, which joined the Big Ten in 2014.
 
NEW LOOK CATS
Six Catamounts made their collegiate debut last weekend, including Claudia Cotter, Pleun Haantjes, Taryn Marra, Sydney Melfi, Kailyn Myshrall and Clare Sheahan. Saint Louis transfer Sophia Cheever also saw game action for the first time at UVM.
 
LEADERS OF THE PACK
Redshirt junior Jackie Gillen and junior Olivia Hurd will lead the Catamounts in 2017 as captains. This season is one of return for Gillen, who redshirted the 2016 campaign due to injury. She has started all 38 of a possible 38 matches in her career, during which she has amassed seven points on two goals and three assists. Hurd embarks on her second go-around as a captain after sharing the role a year ago with Anne-Marie Farmer. In her career, she has registered 38 starts and six assists, emerging as an integral part of the Catamounts' penalty corner unit.
 
HENNI TIETZE JOINS CATAMOUNT STAFF
Head coach Kate Pfeifer announced in early August that Henni Tietze has joined her program's staff as an assistant coach. Tietze (pronounced TEET-zuh) comes to UVM after spending the 2016 season in the same capacity at Providence College of the BIG EAST.
 
Tietze also enjoyed a four-year career at Providence (2011-14) at center-back, during which she amassed 22 goals and 15 assists. Her 59 total points rank 22nd all-time in program history.
 
NEXT UP
The Green and Gold return to Burlington next Saturday (Sept. 9) for a 1 p.m. rendezvous with Cornell.