Hempstead, NY - The Hofstra Field Hockey team returns to Colonial Athletic Association play this weekend as the stretch run for berths in the CAA Field Hockey Championship winds down to the final two weekends.

The Pride, 10-5 overall and 1-1 in the CAA, will travel to Towson (2-12, 0-3) on Friday, October 24 for a 6 p.m. game at Johnny Unitas Stadium before heading north to face the front-running and defending conference champion, Blue Hens of Delaware at 1 p.m. on Sunday, October 26 at Rullo Stadium.

Hofstra, which has won three consecutive games, including a 6-3 non-conference victory over Rider last Sunday, will be looking to get at least two wins in their final four contests to have a good shot at securing a conference tournament bid. After this weekend, Hofstra will return home for games against William and Mary (5-9, 2-1) on Friday, October 31 and the high-scoring Dukes of James Madison on Sunday, November 2.

But the Pride focus will be on Towson and Delaware and both pose challenges this weekend. While Hofstra has defeated the Tigers of Towson in each of their last three match-ups, the Unitas Stadium surface is field turf and not the typical field hockey turf. To prepare for that, Hofstra has practiced all week on the field turf surface of James M. Shuart Stadium. With 20 freshmen or sophomores on the Pride roster, Hofstra Head Field Hockey Coach Kathy De Angelis is giving the team a chance at getting familiar with the different game on field turf.

Hofstra continues to be led in scoring by sophomore Claudia Marin Samper with career-highs of 12 goals and seven assists. Marin Samper added to her season-best numbers with a goal and an assist against Rider last Sunday. Senior Jonel Boileau, who also tallied a goal against Rider, now has 11 goals and five assists this year. She is now tied for fifth, with Edith Gallagher (1986-89), on the Hofstra career goals chart with 43. She is also sixth in career points (103) and has climbed into an 11th-place tie with 17 career assists. Junior Charlotte Loehr is also having a career-best season with eight goals and two assists while sophomore Stella Schoen, who tallied two goals and one assist against Rider to be named the CAA Co-Player of the Week, now has four goals and three assists in eight games. Freshman goalie Carys Swan has recorded a 10-4 record with a 2.31 goals against average and a .659 save percentage this season.
 
Friday's game at Towson is the 35th meeting between the two programs. Hofstra leads the series, 23-11. The two schools met last season in Hempstead with the Pride winning, 5-3. The Tigers enter Friday's contest with a 2-12 record following their 2-1 loss to Appalachian State at Maryland last Sunday. Towson has lost seven consecutive games. The Tiger wins have come against American (4-3) and Longwood (3-2). Their losses have come against St. Joseph's (4-1), Lock Haven (7-0), St. Francis (5-1), Lehigh (2-1 in OT), Rider (2-1), La Salle (2-0), William and Mary (4-0), James Madison (8-0), Columbia (5-3), Delaware (2-1), VCU (2-0) and Appalachian State (2-1).

Towson, which has scored 16 goals while allowing 50 in 14 games this season, is led in scoring by senior Kelly Mattingly with three goals and one assist. Junior Stacey MacIntosh has added two goals and a team-high three assists while senior Courtney Branco and junior Heather Jenney each have three goals. The Tigers have used two goalies this season with sophomore Megan Boyle (2-7) posting a 3.26 goals against average and a .705 save percentage with 62 saves in nine games this year. Freshman Emilee Woodall (0-5) has a 3.94 goals against average with a .733 save percentage and 66 saves in eight games.

Sunday's game at Delaware is the 28th meeting between the two programs. Delaware leads the series, 21-6. The two schools met last season in Hempstead with the Blue Hens winning, 6-0. The Blue Hens, who will host Northeastern on Friday night before facing off against Hofstra, enter the week with a 9-6 overall record following their 2-1 loss to Columbia last Sunday. UD has a 3-0 mark in the CAA. Delaware, which has won five of the last six contests, has scored 35 goals and allowed 37 this season. The Blue Hens have wins over Pacific (2-1), Cal (3-2 in OT), Richmond (4-1), Villanova (3-0), Fairfield (2-1), James Madison (6-5 in OT), William and Mary (5-3), Princeton (2-1 in 2OT) and Towson (2-1). Their losses have come against Stanford (4-0), North Carolina (5-1), Temple (5-1), Cornell (4-2), Old Dominion (2-1 in OT) and Columbia (2-1).
 
Delaware is led in scoring by sophomore Esmee Peet, the 2013 CAA Player and Rookie of the Year, with nine goals and four assists. Junior Michaela Patzner has added six goals and a team-high seven assists while sophomore Meghan Winesett has contributed six goals and four assists. Junior Jacki Coveleski has tallied five goals and two assists while sophomore Marjelle Scheffers has added four goals and four assists. Freshman goalie Emmeline Oltmans (6-6) has a 2.30 goals against average and a .646 save percentage with 51 saves while playing in 12 games this year.

Game Notes