25th-Ranked Field Hockey Prepares To Host Quinnipiac And Merrimack This Weekend

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The 25th-ranked Providence College field hockey team will continue its five-game homestand with a pair of matches this weekend at Lennon Family Field. The Friars will host BIG EAST foe Quinnipiac on Friday, Oct. 18 at 6:00 p.m. and Merrimack on Sunday, Oct. 20 at 1:00 p.m. Providence's match against Merrimack will serve as the program's annual Youth Day event, which will feature a promotional giveaway.

PROVIDENCE VS. QUINNIPIAC
All-time series: Providence leads series, 5-0
First meeting: Providence 5, Quinnipiac 1 – Oct. 5, 2014 (Providence, R.I.)
Last meeting: Providence 6, Quinnipiac 2 – Oct. 12, 2018 (Hamden, Conn.)
*Series note: Three of the five meetings have been decided by one goal, including one overtime match.

PROVIDENCE VS. MERRIMACK
All-time series: First meeting
*Series note: The Merrimack field hockey program is competing in its first season as a member of NCAA Division I.

SCOUTING PROVIDENCE COLLEGE:
• Providence College enters the weekend with an 8-5 overall record, including a 2-2 mark in the BIG EAST Conference.

• The Friars made their season debut in the Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches' Poll at No. 25 on Oct. 15.

• Providence is 1-4 vs. nationally ranked opponents this season. The Friars defeated 24^th-ranked Maine, 5-4, in overtime, but have fallen to No. 13 Boston College (2-1), No. 22 Old Dominion (4-3, 2OT/SO), No. 6 Louisville (2-0) and No. 3 Connecticut (3-0). Additionally, the Friars suffered a 2-1 setback at Fairfield on Sept. 22 and the Stags entered the national poll the following week at No 23.

• The Friars have played eight unranked opponents this season and have held a 20-5 advantage in goals during those matches, including four shut-out victories. Fairfield, who entered the poll the following week after facing the Friars, was the only team to score multiple goals vs. the team (two).

• Thirteen players on the roster have scored at least one point, including 11 different goal scorers.

• Senior Izzy Mendez (Cedar Grove, N.J.) leads the Friars in scoring with 18 points on eight goals and two assists. Each of her offensive totals are single-season career highs.

• Senior Mary O'Reilly (Longmeadow, Mass.) is second on the team in scoring with 11 points on three goals and a team-best five assists. Her 11 points and five assists mark a single-season career high. She recently earned BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll accolades on Oct. 15.

• Lydia Rice (Carle Place, N.Y.) has played 825 minutes in the cage this season and owns a 1.38 goals against average and a 0.729 save percentage.

• The Friars were picked to finish third in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll, released on Aug. 23.

SCOUTING QUINNIPIAC:
• Quinnipiac enters the weekend with a 3-10 overall record, including a 1-3 mark in the BIG EAST Conference.

• The Bobcats are in the midst of a five-game winless streak with their last victory coming against league opponent Georgetown (2-1) on Sept. 25. Two of the five losses came against nationally-ranked opponents: Liberty (5-1) and Boston College (4-0).

• Bianka Strubbe leads Quinnipiac with 12 points on five goals and two assists. She has scored or assisted on seven of the Bobcats' 11 goals this season.

• Julianna Cappello is the only other player on the roster to score multiple goals (four).

• Ines Ruiz Martinez has recorded a team-best four assists for Quinnipiac.

• Hedda Biermann-Ratjen has played 610 minutes in the cage this season and owns a 2.56 goals against average and a 0.671 save percentage. Mack Vorel has seen action in six games overall with three appearances as a starter and owns a 3.27 goals against average and a 0.767 save percentage.

SCOUTING MERRIMACK:
• Merrimack is in the midst of its first season as an NCAA Division I member for field hockey and will face LIU on Oct. 18 before making its way to Providence.

• The Warriors enter the weekend with a 2-10 overall record, with its lone victories coming against Maine (2-1) and Bryant (2-1, 2OT).

• Nine different players have scored at least one goal for Merrimack, led by Catherine Henaire and Colleen Ellis, who have recorded two goals apiece.

• Miranda Judd leads the Warriors with three assists.

• Katharina Ohmen has played 704 minutes in goal and owns a 3.24 goals against average and 0.784 save percentage.

WHAT'S NEXT:
• Providence will remain home to complete its five-game homestand at Lennon Family Field next weekend. On Friday, Oct. 25 the Friars will host BIG EAST foe Georgetown at 3:00 p.m. The Friars close the weekend with a non-conference match against Rider on Sunday, Oct. 27 at 1:00 p.m. Prior to the start of Providence's game against Rider, the program will honor its seven seniors.

2019 PROVIDENCE COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY AWARDS & HONORS:

Amanda Collins
BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 7)

Niamh Gowing
BIG EAST Freshman of the Week (Oct. 7)
Synapse Sports Rookie of the Week (Oct. 8)

Corinne Kenney
Preseason All-BIG EAST

Izzy Mendez
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (Sept. 23, Sept. 30)

Mary O'Reilly
Preseason All-BIG EAST
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (Oct. 14)

Lydia Rice
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (Sept. 2, Sept. 9, Sept. 16)
Synapse Sports Division I Honor Roll (Sept. 3, Sept. 10)

Kara Sanford
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (Sept. 9)

- GO FRIARS! -

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Players Mentioned

Amanda Collins

Niamh Gowing

Corinne Kenney

Izzy Mendez

Mary O'Reilly

Lydia Rice

Kara Sanford