Home Slate Begins Sunday vs. Hofstra

NEW HAMPSHIRE FIELD HOCKEY
Sunday, Sept. 3, 11 a.m.
Hofstra (2-1) at UNH (1-1) • Video • Live Stats

UNH vs. HOFSTRA

New Hampshire has a 6-2 lifetime record, including 3-0 at home, against Hofstra University, a former member of the America East conference.
The last time these teams met, UNH prevailed 7-1 at Memorial Field on Sept. 21, 2014; current assistant coach Kellie Joyce was a captain of that squad.
- Box Score • Recap
After Hofstra left America East following the 2001 season, these teams did not meet again until 2013, when UNH recorded a 3-2 road win.
Four of the eight meetings have been decided by one goal.

VAN DEN BREKEL HONORED AS AMERICA EAST ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Freshman forward Bloem van den Brekel was named America East Rookie of the Week for the week of Aug. 21-27.
With the score tied 4-4 in overtime, van den Brekel's entry pass into the circle was redirected into the cage by Rachel Bossi to lift the Wildcats to a 5-4 victory against Northeastern University in the Aug. 25 season opener.
van den Brekel recorded three shots, which tied for the game high.

RECAPPING THE TERRIER CLASSIC

New Hampshire opened the 2017 season with a 5-4 overtime win against Northeastern at Boston University on Aug. 25. Box Score • Recap
The Wildcats battled 16^th-ranked Boston University to the final horn in the championship game of the Terrier Classic, but lost 1-0; on a penalty corner at the end of regulation, UNH's shot was blocked. Box Score • Recap
UNH recorded the edge in both shots and penalty corners both games.
The Wildcats did not yield a penalty corner to the BU Terriers.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

Junior forward Katie Audino matched her career high of two points and tallied an assist for a personal-best five points vs. Northeastern (Aug. 25).
Senior back Ashley Mendonca recorded her first career multiple-assist game with two against Northeastern.
Junior midfielder Rachel Bossi recorded a career-high three points vs. Northeastern. She assisted on the game's first goal then ended the game with a tally 4:04 into overtime.
Sophomore forward Erin McNamara tallied a point in her Wildcat debut with an assist against NU.
Junior goalkeeper Kelsey Rudert stopped 4 of 5 shots on goal against 16^th-ranked Boston U. last Sunday.
Junior forward Rachel Thomson led the team in shots with four.

MARATHON MINUTES

Senior midfielder Aggie Sutherland and senior back Jessica Schmidt are the two field players who played all 144:04 last weekend at the Terrier Classic. Goalkeeper Kelsey Rudert also played every second.
was an All-Rookie Team selection.

STAT LEADERS

Katie Audino leads the Wildcats in goals (two) and points (five).
Ashley Mendonca has a team-high two assists.
Kelsey Rudert has a 2.43 GAA and .643 save percentage.

AT A GLANCE

Through two games, UNH has scored five goals and yielded five goals; the opposition has a 3-1 scoring edge in the first half.
The Wildcats have a 30-27 shot advantage and 8-3 edge in penalty corners.

THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

New Hampshire returns 14 letterwinners, including eight starters, from last year's squad that finished 7-12 overall and 4-4 in America East.
UNH welcomes seven newcomers – one transfer and six freshmen – to the program.
There are three America East conference award winners among the returnees. Gianna Bensaia and Ashley Mendonca – this year's captains – were named to the 2016 East Division All-Conference Team while Kayla Sliz was an All-Rookie Team selection.

POINT PRODUCERS

UNH returns 9 of 10 players who recorded a point last season.
Ashley Mendonca tied for the team lead in points (27) and was second in goals (12).
Gianna Bensaia ranked No. 6 in the nation in assists per game; her 13 assists were the most by a Wildcat since 2010 and tied for fifth on the program's single-season leaderboard.
Katie Audino was second on the team in assists (nine) and fourth in points (11).

D-D-D-D-FEENSE

Seniors Ashley Mendonca and Jessica Schmidt bring a wealth of experience to the backline. Mendonca has been a starter since arriving as a freshman and Schmidt has started since her sophomore year.
Sophomore Nicky Bajus emerged as a force on the defensive end of the field as the 2016 season progressed.

MIDFIELD MAINSTAYS

In addition to Gianna Bensaia and Kayla Sliz, the midfield is patrolled by seniors Aggie Sutherland and Brittany Marshall as well as junior Rachel Bossi.
Sutherland is a fourth-year starter who tallied eight points (2g, 4a) and was credited with a defensive save in 2016.
Marshall started 11 of 16 games played and was voted to the America East All-Academic Team.
Bossi started every game a year ago and tied for third on the team in assists (four).

DEFENDING THE CAGE

Junior Kelsey Rudert and sophomore Madelyn McAteer are the two goalkeepers on the '17 roster.
Rudert started all 19 games and played 98.5% of the minutes last year; her stats included a 2.75 GAA and .631 save percentage.
McAteer saw limited action (20:01), but she had significant minutes this past spring and has followed that with a strong preseason this fall.

BALDUCCI BIO

This is the 27^th season as UNH head coach for Robin Balducci.
She is the program's all-time winningest coach with 262 career victories, including the season-opener vs. BU.
Balducci was inducted into the NFHCA Hall of Fame on Jan. 5, 2017.
She was inducted into UNH's Hall of Fame in 1998 and was also part of the 1985 NCAA national championship women's lacrosse team that was enshrined in 1994.
Balducci is a six-time America East Coach of the Year (1998, 2000-10-11-12-13).

SCOUTING HOFSTRA

Hofstra University (Hempstead, N.Y.) enters the weekend with a two-game win streak and 2-1 overall record. The Pride play at Fairfield University on Friday afternoon before travelling to Durham.
Both wins were on home turf, including one vs. America East member UMass Lowell (4-3), and the loss was on the road.
Hofstra has scored a total of six goals and allowed seven despite recording a significant 48-27 shot advantage; the Pride also has a 17-11 edge in penalty corners.
Madison Sauve leads the Pride in both goals (three) and points (six).
Maroles Schavemaker is ranked first in assists with two.
Carys Swan is the only goalie to see game action this season. She has 12 saves on 19 shots on goal for a .632 save percentage and 2.33 GAA.

LOOKING AHEAD

New Hampshire travels to the midwest for a pair of games against the University of Iowa (Sept. 8, 3 p.m.; Sept. 10; 12 p.m.)
The Wildcats' next home game is Sept. 22 against America East West Division member Stanford University. Start time is 6 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Katie Audino

Nicky Bajus

Gianna Bensaia

Rachel Bossi

Brittany Marshall

Madelyn McAteer

Erin McNamara

Ashley Mendonca

Kelsey Rudert

Jessica Schmidt

Kayla Sliz

Aggie Sutherland

Rachel Thomson

Bloem van den Brekel