GAME NOTES: Field Hockey Journeys To Play No. 6 Albany (Oct. 4)

Game 10: Sunday, Oct. 4 (1 p.m.) – UNH (4-5, 1-0 AE) at No. 6 Albany (7-1, 0-0 AE) – Alumni Turf – Albany, N.Y. – Live Stats – Video

THE GAME: The UNH field hockey team returns to action Oct. 4 at sixth-ranked University at Albany. Game time at Alumni Turf is 1 p.m.

THE MATCHUP: UNH has a 10-11 lifetime record against Albany that includes 5-5 in road games; the visiting team has won each of the last two regular-season matchups. The Great Danes won last year's regular-season battle, 4-2, at UNH's Memorial Field and then won the America East Championship tournament with a 5-0 victory vs. the Wildcats in the title game.
These teams have faced off in the America East postseason each of the last seven years with five matchups in the title game and two in the semifinals. UNH won the 2013 title, 3-2, on its home field and won 3-0 at Albany during the regular season.
The last time the Great Danes won three straight vs. the Wildcats spanned the 2006-08 seasons (four W's in a row).

NERBONNE NAMED AMERICA EAST TOP PLAYER: Junior midfielder Lindsey Nerbonne was named America East Player of the Week this past Monday (Sept. 28). Nerbonne scored one goal in both UNH games last week to help lead the Wildcats to a 2-1 victory against both Providence College and UMass Lowell. She scored the game-winning goal vs. PC on Sept. 25 when she gave the 'Cats a 1-0 lead in the 17^th minute. One day later in the America East conference opener vs. UML, Nerbonne's goal at 5:25 gave New Hampshire an early 2-0 lead; she recorded a game-high eight shots, five of which were on goal, against the River Hawks.

THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE: UNH enters the weekend with a 4-5 overall record that includes 1-0 in America East, 0-5 on the road and 1-3 against nationally-ranked teams... The Wildcats take a two-game winning streak to Albany; they were 2-1 victors last weekend against both Providence and UMass Lowell… UNH has been outscored (14-7) and outshot (66-48) in the first half; the Wildcats have a 68-50 shot advantage in the second half, but the opponents have the 12-10 edge in goals… New Hampshire has a 4-0 record when recording the shot advantage, as well as 2-1 when tallying the edge in penalty corners... Nine 'Cats have started all nine games and one other has started 8 of 9.

'CAT NIPS: Sophomore goalkeeper Melissa Rize backboned UNH to a 2-0 week with a 1.00 GAA and .778 save percentage. In the America East opener vs. UMass Lowell, Rize recorded four of her five saves in the second half to help the Wildcats fend off the River Hawks for a 2-1 victory; she also made three key defensive plays by tackling the ball to prevent a shot. Rize was credited two saves in the 2-1 win against Providence.
Senior forward Taylor Rideout recorded her first career assist with a tally vs. Providence.
Lindsey Nerbonne leads the team in goals (five), is tied for the lead in points (10) with Flatley, and has a team-high 31 shots.
Jackie Hozza has a team-high three assists; Flatley is the only other Wildcat with multiple assists. No 'Cat has tallied multiple assists in a game this season.

THE SLIMMEST OF MARGINS: Six of UNH's nine games have been decided by one goal, including both of last weekend's 2-1 victories and a 4-3 overtime win against then-No. 18 UMass. Including those games, the Wildcats have a 4-2 mark in one-goal games.

FIRST BLOOD: The opponent has scored the game's first goal in 6 of 9 games this season, and five times the opposition has extended that lead to 2-0. Last weekend, the 'Cats took a 2-0 lead against both Providence and UMass Lowell.

CENTURY CLUB: Senior forward Meg Flatley became the fifth UNH player to reach the 100-point milestone with her second-half goal in the Aug. 28 season opener at 20^th-ranked Boston University. She entered that game with 98 career points and attained the milestone with her 43^rd goal, which complemented her 14 assists for a total of 100 points.
Flatley, who also a total of three goals and two assists this season for eight points, is currently No. 5 on the program's all-time points list with 108 (46-16-108); Gaby Haroules (1977-80) is No. 4 at 119.
Flatley scored her 46^th career goal last Saturday's against UMass Lowell. That tally gave Flatley sole possession of No. 5 on UNH's career leaderboard; she was previously tied with Katie White, who was on the UML sideline as an associate head coach; Hayley Rausch (2008-11) is No. 4 with 51.

COMPETING AGAINST THE BEST: New Hampshire has already played four games against nationally-ranked teams and the Wildcats have three games remaining against currently ranked teams. On opening weekend, the Wildcats played then-No. 20 BU and No. 18 UMass; the 'Cats have also traveled to No. 1 UConn and No. 10 Maryland. UNH has remaining games against No. 6 Albany both home and away, as well as No. 11 Boston College at home.

MADE OF GRANITE: Three student-athletes on the 2015 roster hail from New Hampshire. They are sophomore midfielder Brittany Marshall (Hopkinton), junior midfielder Lindsey Nerbonne (Bow) and freshman Courtney Sweeny (Windham).

SCOUTING ALBANY: Led by 12^th-year head coach Phil Sykes who has guided the University at Albany to four America East conference championships, including the 2014 championship. The Great Danes head into the weekend ranked No. 6 in the nation with a 7-1 record that includes 1-1 at home. Albany opens America East conference play Friday at home vs. Vermont.
Excluding their one loss to 2^nd-ranked North Carolina, the Great Danes have only allowed five goals. The Great Danes are on a three game winning streak including their most recent win, Sept. 27 at Monmouth by a score of 1-0.

As a team, the Great Danes average 10.6 shots per game and 2.25 goals per game while allowing 10.9 shots per game and 1.12 goals per game. The Great Danes have outscored their opponents in both halves and penalty corners including an overall edge of 55-32 in penalty corners. The Great Danes have been outshot in the second half 53-41 but have outscored opponents 10-7; they have allowed two first-half goals compared to the seven second-half goals.
Junior Paula Heuser leads the way for the Great Danes in goals (10) and points (23). Senior Fiori Van Rijswijk leads the team in assists (seven) and is third in points (nine). Sophomore Anna Bottino is second on the Great Danes in goals (four) and second in points (10).
Junior goalkeeper Maxi Primus has started all eight games for the Great Danes logging all 560:00 minutes with a 1.45 GAA, .809 save percentage and 7-1 record.

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