FIELD HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
University of Vermont field hockey (2-3) heads into the weekend with a Friday afternoon (Sept. 15) contest against twin state rival and Ivy League foe Dartmouth at Moulton Winder Field. Game time is set for 4 p.m.
 
Free live video in high definition as well as live stats will be available during the game via Stretch Internet.
 
RELATED LINKS
Video
 
GAMEDAY PROMOTIONS
License Plate Frame Giveaway: The first 100 fans to pass through the Moulton Winder Field gates at Friday's game will receive a free UVM license plate frame.
 
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CATAMOUNTS RECAP
Despite outshooting Cornell 16-10 and holding a 10-4 penalty corner advantage, UVM was unable to get on the scoreboard last Saturday (Sept. 9) in a 1-0 setback against the Big Red. Katie Carlson notched the lone goal of the afternoon in the 38th minute. Lena Benwood had four saves on the afternoon for Vermont.
 
Landon Warren nearly put the Catamounts ahead in the 2nd minute but diving Cornell goalkeeper Maddie Henry preserved the scoreless tie. At the end of regulation, Vermont had one final chance for the equalizer after drawing a last-second penalty corner, but Lauren Tucker's shot sailed right of the cage.
 
SCOUTING DARTMOUTH
After opening the season with setbacks at No. 3 Delaware (Sept. 1) and against Longwood (Sept. 3), Dartmouth has bounced back by topping Rider (Sept. 9) and Bryant (Sept. 10) at home. Junior goalkeeper Hailey Valerio made eight saves in the weekend sweep and 12 different players inked a point.
 
At this early juncture, the Big Green have put up rather impressive numbers in contrast to the rest of the Ivy League. Valerio is up to 7.75 saves per game to sit second in the conference and 10th in the country, while as a team Dartmouth leads the Ivy with an even three assists per game average. Four of those helpers have come from sophomore Katie Spanos while juniors Evie Bird and Gemma Bautista each have a pair of goals plus an assist.
 
This is Amy Fowler's 18th season as head coach of the Big Green; in that timeframe she has become the winningest coach in program history. The 1993 Iowa graduate was a three-time All-American as a player and was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 1992.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Historically Dartmouth has had the Catamounts' number, with Vermont taking six wins and earning a tie since the series began in the Fall of 1979. Last season UVM visited Dartmouth on a Friday afternoon but was handed a 4-1 setback at Chase Field.
 
The Green and Gold last pocketed a victory on Sept. 28, 2011. At Moulton Winder Field that day, Emily Bastiaanse broke a 3-3 tie in the final minute of regulation after taking a feed from Mackenzie Williams following a corner. Goalkeeper Stephanie Zygmunt made 11 saves as the Cats earned their fourth consecutive home triumph.
 
BEASTS OF THE EAST
The Catamounts have emerged atop the America East in penalty corners per game (7.80) and freshman Pleun Haantjes also ranks first in the league in total defensive saves (3). As a matter of fact, Haantjes is in a five-way tie for the national lead in the category.
 
CHAT WITH THE CATS
Throughout the 2017 field hockey season, UVM Athletics will sit down with each Catamount rookie for a brief question-and-answer session discussing life on and off-pitch. On Wednesday, we caught up with sophomore Sophia Cheever, who came to Burlington after spending her freshman season in the Atlantic 10 at Saint Louis. Click here to read the feature.
 
NEW LOOK CATS
Vermont boasts 12 newcomers in 2017, a total that is composed in part by 11 freshmen. The group includes rookies Claudia Cotter, Shannon English, Sierra Espeland, Pleun Haantjes, Ali House, Taryn Marra, Bailey Matthews, Sydney Melfi, Kailyn Myshrall, Clare Sheahan and Laura Zavrl. Sophomore transfer Sophia Cheever has also joined the squad.
 
LEADERS OF THE PACK
Jackie Gillen and Olivia Hurd will lead the Catamounts in 2017 as captains.
 
HENNI TIETZE JOINS CATAMOUNT STAFF
Head coach Kate Pfeifer announced during the preseason 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
A midweek matchup sits ahead for UVM as the Catamounts host Patriot League foe Holy Cross next Tuesday (Sept. 19) at 4 p.m. from Moulton Winder Field. This game will also close out a three-game homestand as well as the Cats' non-conference home schedule.