FIELD HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
 
The Vermont field hockey team gears up for another busy weekend on the road with a matchup against the preseason conference favorite on Friday and a dip back into non-league play on Sunday.
 
On Friday the Cats take on #22 Monmouth (5-4, 0-1) in West Long Branch, N.J. before making the trip to Staten Island to take on Wagner (3-5, 0-0) on Sunday. Friday's contest gets underway at 4 p.m. and Sunday's matinee begins at 12 p.m.
 
RELATED LINKS
MONMOUTH COVERAGE: Live Stats
WAGNER COVERAGE: NEC FRONT ROW | Live Stats
 
LAST WEEK
Vermont saw its five-game winning streak come to an end last weekend with two hard-fought defeats to Stanford and UAlbany – the last two teams to win the conference crown. Friday's 1-0 loss to Stanford saw goalie Sierra Espeland make five saves. Sunday's weekend finale against the Great Danes came down to a penalty stroke in overtime and UAlbany converted to get the victory. Clodagh Ferry and Kate Hall both scored in that contest.
 
HALL FINDING HER GROOVE
After being held without a goal for the year's first six games, Kate Hall has found the scoring touch. She's slotted home three goals in her last four games to go along with a pair of assists. She ranks second on the team with six helpers this season.
 
LEADING THE WAY
Senior midfielder Clodagh Ferry leads the conference in shots on goal firing 27 on cage so far this season. Her six goals also rank fifth in the league. Puck Kwaspen's seven assists is best in the conference followed closely by Kate Hall's six. Sierra Espeland ranks third among league leaders in all major goalie categories including goals against average, saves, saves per game and shutouts per game.
 
OFFENSE CLICKING
Vermont has scored 19 goals this season and have assists on 16 of them. The team's 63 total points through eight games is the most since at least 2007 and three times this season UVM has reached double-digit points in a game.
 
SCOUTING THE HAWKS
The preseason favorite and nationally ranked Hawks come into the weekend having lost their conference opener at Maine last week. They come stacked with offensive firepower as three players are ranked in the top-five in scoring including Annick van Lange who notched her 100th career point last weekend – the third Hawk to accomplish the feat. Goalkeeper Ally Tarantino has started six games for Monmouth and enters the weekend with a 2.56 goals against average.
 
SCOUTING THE SEAHAWKS
Wagner comes into the weekend red-hot and a winner of three straight after starting this season 0-5. The Seahawks have outscored opponents 10-5 during the streak. Agustina Deharbe (Offensive Player of the Week), Daisy Ruhle (Defensive Player of the Week) and Liselotte Koop (Rookie of the Week) swept the NEC weekly awards this week, as well. Wagner begins league play on Friday on the road at St. Francis (Pa.).
 
SERIES HISTORIES
Friday marks the sixth all-time meeting with Monmouth with the Hawks holding a 5-1 advantage in the series. The Cats took the Hawks to a penalty shootout last spring but fell 1-0. Sunday will be the first ever meeting between Vermont and Wagner.