FIELD HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
The Vermont field hockey team gets conference play underway this weekend with a pair of games at Monmouth. UVM plays the host Hawks on Friday morning before tangling with defending conference champion Stanford on Saturday morning.
 
Friday's matchup gets going at 11 a.m. and Saturday's a touch earlier at 10 a.m.
 
RELATED LINKS
Monmouth: Live Video | Live Stats
Stanford: Live Stats
 
LAST TIME OUT
Vermont dropped its non-conference finale last time out falling to ACC-foe Boston College, 3-0. The Catamounts held BC without a shot for the first 12 minutes of the game but the Eagles broke through late in the first and then early in the second to take a 2-0 lead. Sierra Espeland made four saves in cage for Vermont and Kate Hall sent two of her game-high four shots on target to pace the offense.
 
SCOUTING THE HAWKS
The America East preseason favorite, Monmouth (2-1) is coming off a 2-1 defeat to Temple in overtime last weekend. The Hawks boast a stingy defense having just allowed three goals in three games this season. Ireen Frenken has scored a goal in each game while Annick van Lange averages almost seven shots per game. Monmouth lost to Stanford in the America East title game to end last season.
 
SCOUTING THE CARDINAL
Saturday's game will be the first for Stanford this season and first since the Cardinal lost to North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2019. The Cardinal will have to replace three-time America East Goalkeeper of the Year Kelsey Bing but do return All-American Corinne Zanolli who scored 33 goals in 2019.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUPS
Friday will be the sixth all-time meeting between Vermont and Monmouth dating back to 2008. The Hawks lead the series 4-1 and have won four straight. Stanford leads the all-time series with Vermont, 3-0. Since joining the America East prior to the 2015 season, the Cardinal and Catamounts have met twice – once in 2015 in the conference tournament and then again last season in Durham, N.H.