| Matchup |
#3 Merrimack (13-1, 9-0 NE10) vs
#7 Stonehill (10-4, 6-3 NE10) |
| Date/Time |
Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018 (7 p.m.) |
| Venue |
North Andover, Mass. | Duane Stadium |
| Multimedia |
Live Stats | Video |
| Social Media |
Twitter // Instagram |
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The third-ranked Merrimack College field hockey program plays its first of two top-ten opponents this week on Wednesday night when the Warriors welcome No. 7 Stonehill College to Duane Stadium for a 7 p.m. tilt.
Inside the Series:
- Both programs are highly ranked this season both nationally and in conference. Merrimack is ranked third in the nation and second in the NE10 while Stonehill is ranked seventh nationally and fourth in conference.
- The Warriors and Skyhawks faced each other twice this year, and split the season series. In the first matchup, the Warriors picked up a 5-4 win. Stonehill won the second time around, defeating Merrimack, 4-2.
- Merrimack is led by Mary McNeil who is currently ranked first in the nation in assists per game (.79), and 12th in goals per game (.93). Stonehill's offense is powered by Kacie Smith, a senior, who ranks first in the nation with 1.57 goals per game.
Five Things to Know:
- With a win on Saturday over Franklin Pierce, the Warriors increased their winning streak to 12 games to post the second longest in school history. The 2018 squad now only trails the 17-game the 2011 program enjoyed, which included a NE10 Regular Season Championship.
- Merrimack is ranked third nationwide for the third consecutive week, which is tied for the highest national ranking ever in school history. The Warriors also received a first-place vote in most recent poll
- The Warriors continue to be neck-and-neck with No. 4 Pace University in the Northeast-10 Conference standings. The Warriors' 9-0 league record trails only the Setters' 10-0 mark for the top spot in the league.
- McNeil's has continued on her record-setting trend with a team-best 37 points and league-best 11 assists. Her 13 goals rank fifth in the conference. The senior broke the program record for assists last Friday against Franklin Pierce, when she recorded two helpers.
- Merrimack continues to pace the country in goals per game (3.87), and in total goals (55). The Warriors also lead the land in penalty corners per game with 14.29 and 200 corners, and are outscoring teams by 2.82 goals per contest, the highest margin in Division II.
Inside the Matchup:
| #3 Merrimack (13-1, 9-0 NE10) |
Category |
#7 Stonehill (10-4, 6-3 NE10) |
| 3.87 |
Scoring Offense |
3.10 |
| 1.07 |
Scoring Defense |
1.46 |
| Mary McNeil (13-11—37) |
Leading Scorer |
Kacie Smith (22-5-49) |
| McNeil (13) |
Goals Leader |
Smith (22) |
| McNeil (11) |
Assists Leader |
2 tied (5) |
| Miranda Judd (3) |
Defensive Saves Leader |
3 tied (2) |
| Katharina Ohmen (1.23) |
GAA Leader |
Sara Freedman (1.31) |
| Ohmen (.797) |
Save Percentage Leader |
Freedman (.800) |
Up Next
The Warriors will travel to Pleasantville, N.Y. to take on Pace in a highly anticipated NE10 matchup. Pace trails Merrimack by one spot in the national rankings but leads the Warriors by one spot on the conference leaderboard.
