Postseason Begins With AE Title Game Rematch vs. Stanford (Nov. 1)

America East Field Hockey Championship
at Stanford University • Varsity Turf
(All times Eastern … All games will be streamed on americaeast.tv)
Quarterfinals, Thursday, Nov. 1
Game 1: E4 UNH at W1 (#22) Stanford, 4 pm
Game 2: E1 (#21) Albany vs. W4 UC Davis, 6:30 pm
Quarterfinals, Friday, Nov. 2
Game 3: E2 Maine (#18) vs. W3 Cal, 3 pm
Game 4: E3 Vermont vs. W2 Pacific, 5:30 pm
Semifinals, Saturday, Nov. 3
Game 1 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 3 pm
Game 2 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 5:30 pm
Final, Sunday, Nov. 4
Semifinal winners, 3 pm

UNH QUARTET RECEIVES ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS

Senior midfielder and co-captain Rachel Bossi and sophomore forward Bloem van den Brekel were named to the America East All-Conference East Division Team.
Freshman forward Finn Caron was selected to the All-Rookie Team.
Junior midfielder Kayla Sliz was voted to the All-Academic Team.

HOW WE GOT HERE

With one conference game remaining, UNH needed the combination of a win against Albany and a loss by UMass Lowell to Maine to get the last remaining spot in the 2018 America East Field Hockey Championship.
The Wildcats helped themselves by recording a 1-0 victory against the 17^th-ranked Great Danes at home on Friday, Oct. 26.
But the 'Cats needed to wait two days for their fate to be determined. UMass Lowell led Maine, 4-2, with four minutes remaining but the Black Bears rallied to tie the score and then prevailed 5-4 in double overtime to end the River Hawks' season and send New Hampshire into the America East tournament.

UNH vs. STANFORD

UNH has a 2-4 lifetime record against Stanford, including a 4-1 loss in last year's America East title game at UMass Lowell. • Recap • Box
- New Hampshire had advanced to the Sunday title game with back-to-back overtime wins against Cal and Albany.
- In the title game, the Wildcats fell behind 4-0 in the first half, but dominated the second half with an 18-3 shot advantage.
The Wildcats and Cardinal also faced off in the 2017 regular season with 12^th-ranked Stanford recording a 3-2 win in double overtime at UNH's Memorial Field (Sept. 22). • Recap • Box
- The 'Cats erased a pair of one-goal deficits to send the game to OT. Corinne Zanolli scored 3:08 into double overtime to lift Stanford to victory.
Prior to the 2017 season, these teams met in 2014 (Stanford 1-0), 2013 (Stanford 5-1), 2011 (UNH 6-3) and 2002 (UNH 3-1).

COMPARISON SHOPPING

Here is a side-by-side comparison of UNH and Stanford:

Offense Defense Shots/Game Corners/Game
UNH 1.53 2.29 10.4 5.0
Stanford 3.22 1.56 12.83 5.2

UNH IN THE AMERICA EAST CHAMPIONSHIPS

New Hampshire is making its 24^th appearance overall – 12^th straight – in the America East tournament this year.
The Wildcats have won four titles – 1989, 1998, 2011, 2013 – and finished as runner-up eight times.
Last year at UMass Lowell, the 'Cats made an improbable run to the title game with a 3-2 overtime win against Cal and 2-1 overtime win vs. #21 Albany (the top seed of the East Division) on consecutive days.
Three games in three days proved to be a Herculean task for New Hampshire, which trailed 4-0 at halftime and finished as runner-up to Stanford.
This is the first time UNH is the East Division's fourth seed; the Wildcats were the third seed the previous three years of this tourney format.
UNH has a 15-20 overall record in conference postseason play, including last year's two victories.
The 'Cats advanced to the title game five consecutive years (2010-14).

UNH vs. THE TOURNEY FIELD

UNH has a 3-3 record against this year's America East tourney field. The Wildcats went 1-1 against the other three East Division representatives and did not face off against any of the West Division teams in 2018.

van den Brekel NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Sophomore midfielder Bloem van den Brekel was honored as the America East Player of the Week on Monday.
van den Brekel scored a career-high three goals for a personal best of six points to lead UNH to a 5-1 win against Dartmouth College in Sunday afternoon's regular-season finale.
She scored consecutive goals 88 seconds apart (at 20:51 and 22:19) to quickly extend the Wildcats' lead from 1-0 to 3-0.
van den Brekel struck again 3:46 into the second half to once again put momentum in UNH's favor with a 4-1 lead.

BOSSI VOTED FANS' CHOICE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Senior midfielder Rachel Bossi was announced the 2018 America Eat Fans' Choice Player of the Year on Wednesday.
Bossi received 30.8 percent of the votes to edge out Janaye Sakkas of Cal (28.5%). The 48-hour voting period ended Wednesday at 1 p.m. Eastern; fans voted on the America East social media platforms.

THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE • Home page • Schedule • Roster • Stats

UNH has a 6-11 overall record that includes 3-5 in America East and 1-5 on the road.
The Wildcats enter the America East tournament on a season-best three-game win streak that started with a 2-1 win at the University of Vermont in a must-win game on Oct. 21. Last weekend, UNH upended #17 Albany (1-0) and Dartmouth College (5-1).
Prior to the current win streak, UNH lost five straight spanning Sept. 30 to Oct. 19. The Wildcats were outscored 14-4 during that five-game losing streak.
UNH is averaging 1.53 goals per game as well as 10.4 shots and 5.0 penalty corners. Opponents are averaging 2.29 goals, 12.1 shots and 6.2 corners.
Six Wildcats have started all 17 games; they are Katie Audino, Nicky Bajus, Rachel Bossi, Finn Caron, Kayla Sliz and Bloem van den Brekel. Three others have started 16 of 17 and goalkeeper Kelsey Rudert has started 15 of 17 (she was a DNP Sept. 21 & 23).

INSIDE THE THREE-GAME WIN STREAK

New Hampshire has outscored the opposition 8-2 during the three-game win streak. Bloem van den Brekel (4g), Finn Caron (2g) and Isabelle Danahy (1g, 1a) have sparked the offense while Kelsey Rudert has stopped 12 of 14 shots on goal for a 0.67 GAA and .857 save percentage.

LAST WEEKEND RECAP

UNH ended the regular season with home wins against conference rival Albany and intrastate rival Dartmouth College.
Isabelle Danahy scored in the 24^th minute and Kelsey Rudert recorded her first career shutout to lift UNH to a 1-0 victory against No. 17 Albany last Friday at Memorial Field. • Recap • Box
- Rudert's third and final save came with no time remaining in the game on an Albany penalty corner, as she made a kick save that directed the ball across the end line to end the game.
Bloem van den Brekel scored three goals and Rachel Bossi recorded two assists to propel UNH to last Sunday's 5-1 win against Dartmouth. • Recap • Box
- The three goals and six points marked personal bests for van den Brekel, as did the two assists for Bossi. Rudert made five saves.

OCTOBER REWIND

UNH went 3-4 in October, including 2-4 in America East and 1-2 on the road. The Wildcats were edged in both goals (13-11) and shots (75-73).
The offense was led by Bloem van den Brekel (5g), Finn Caron (3g, 1a) and Rachel Bossi (4a).
In goal, Kelsey Rudert started all seven games and played all but 35 minutes of a possible 495:02. She had a 1.85 GAA and .714 save percentage.

FIRST BLOOD

The team that has scored the first goal won 16 of 17 regular-season games this year. UNH never came back to win a game after falling behind 1-0. The only time the Wildcats lost after taking a 1-0 lead was Oct. 7 at #24 Albany (2-1 overtime loss).

PLAYING THE BEST

New Hampshire has a 2-6 record against nationally-ranked teams with a 1-0 win vs. #17 Albany (Oct. 27) and 3-2 victory versus #18 Maine (Sept. 28).
The 'Cats have lost to No. 19 Boston University (4-0), No. 15 Harvard (4-1), No. 14 Iowa (2-0), at No. 9 Boston College (6-0), at No. 24 UAlbany (2-1 in overtime), and at No. 17 Maine (4-0). [Note: all rankings at date of game]

CLOSE CALLS

UNH has a 4-4 record in games decided by one goal. Three of the last four regular-season games – and 4 of 6 – ended in a one-goal margin.
The Wildcats played into overtime just once this year, a 2-1 loss at Albany (Oct. 7).

NO GOAL FOR YOU

The Wildcats recorded two shutouts and were shut out five times (most recently at Maine on Oct. 14) in the regular season.

INSIDE THE STATS

The opposition has recorded the shot advantage 10 of 17 games; UNH has a 2-3 record when recording the shot advantage, as well as an 0-2 mark when the shots are even.
UNH had the edge in penalty corners 6 of 17 games – 4-1 vs. UMass in the opener, 10-4 at Brown, 14-4 vs. Bryant, 5-2 against Vermont, 7-5 at Maine and 10-5 vs. UMass Lowell.
New Hampshire has scored on 26 of 177 shots (14.7%) with 113 of 177 shots on goal (63.8%); in comparison, the opposition has scored on 39 of 205 shots (19.0%) with 126 of 205 shots on goal (61.5%).
UNH has been outshot 105-89 in the first half and 98-89 in the second half, as well as 2-0 in overtime.

POINT PRODUCERS

Sophomore midfielder Bloem van den Brekel climbed to the top of the UNH points leaderboard in the last two weeks of the regular season with five goals for 10 points the past four games. van den Brekel has a total of 14 points (6g, 2a). She also has a team-high 35 shots.
Freshman forward Finn Caron is tied for the team lead in goals (six) and ranks second in points (13); she has scored three of UNH's six game-winning goals. All 15 of Caron's shots have been on goal and she has a team-high .400 shooting percentage. She recorded a point three of the last four regular-season games (2g, 1a).
Junior forward Bailey Fanikos, in her first year as a Wildcat, has scored five goals for 10 points. Both those numbers rank third on the team.
Senior midfielder and captain Rachel Bossi has a team-high six assists. Bossi, the designated stick-stop on corners, recorded her first career multiple-assist game with two helpers last Sunday against Dartmouth College. She has also scored a goal for a total of eight points.

D-D-D-D-FENSE

Junior back Nicky Bajus is the anchor of this year's young defensive unit. She has started all 17 games and never comes off the field.
Senior captain Katie Audino, who patrolled the midfield and frontline of attack her first three years as a Wildcat, has transitioned more into a defensive role. She has made a smooth transition, as evident by her team-high two defensive saves and spot on the defensive penalty corner unit.
Sophomore Erin Malone, who played in one game a year ago, stepped into a starting role at the start of the season and recorded a defensive save against nationally-ranked Iowa. Malone played in just 2 of 6 October games (off the bench at UAlbany on Oct. 7; off the bench last Sunday vs. Dartmouth).

DEFENDING THE CAGE

New Hampshire's defense is anchored by third-year starting goalie Kelsey Rudert. The senior started the first six games this season, was a DNP the weekend of Sept. 21-23, and started each of the last nine regular-season games.
Last Friday, Rudert recorded her first career shutout with three saves – including one on an untimed corner at the end of regulation – to backbone UNH to a 1-0 victory last Friday vs. #17 Albany.
In her return to the starting lineup, Rudert made a season-high nine saves to lift the Wildcats to a 3-2 win against 18^th-ranked Maine on Sept. 28.
Rudert stopped eight shots in the 2-1 overtime loss at No. 24 UAlbany.
Rudert has a 5-10 record and has stopped 67of 99 shots on goal for a 2.27 GAA and .677 save percentage; both the GAA and save percentage are single-season bests.
Junior Madelyn McAteer received the starting nod consecutive games against Bryant and Boston College when Rudert was out of the lineup. McAteer stopped three shots vs. Bryant for her first career win and shutout, then made a career-high five saves (5 GA in 40:43) at ninth-ranked BC. In three games, she is 1-1 with a .643 save percentage and 2.55 GAA.
Freshman Rachel Simkevich made her collegiate debut Sept. 30 at BC. She played the final 29:17 and stopped two of three shots on goal. Simkevich played the second half Oct. 14 at Maine and recorded four saves with one goal allowed. In two games, she has a 2.18 GAA and .750 save percentage.

CAPTAIN BATTERY

Co-captains Katie Audino and Rachel Bossi are typically the battery on New Hampshire's offensive penalty corners with Audino as the insert and Bossi the stick-stop.

BALDUCCI BIO

This is the 28^th season as UNH head coach for Robin Balducci.
She is the program's all-time winningest coach with 276 career victories
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 STANFORD • Home page

Stanford University (Stanford, Calif.). ranked 22^nd in this week's national poll, has a 13-5 overall record that includes 5-1 in America East and 6-2 at home.
The Cardinal closed the regular season with a 2-1 home loss to Pacific last Friday.
Prior to that, Stanford was on a five-game winning streak that included four conference victories.
Stanford is averaging 3.22 goals per game, 12.83 shots per game and 5.22 penalty corners per game. The opposition is averaging 1.56 goals per game, 12.00 shots per game and 4.17 penalty corners per game.
Corinne Zanolli leads Stanford with 24 goals and 55 points. Emma Christus (6g, 6a) and Phoebe Crosthwaite (5g, 6a) are the next top point producers.
Zanolli has a team-high 75 shots; next on the list is Christus with 26 shots.
Kelsey Bing has played 1289:04 out of 1315:01 total minutes. She has a 1.47 GAA and .789 save percentage while posting a 13-5 record and three shutouts.

AMERICA EAST AWARDS

Finn Caron – Rookie of the Week (Sept. 25)
Bloem van den Brekel – Player of the Week (Oct. 29)

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