Field Hockey Set To Resume BIG EAST Play On Friday At Villanova

PROVIDENCE, R.I.– The Providence College field hockey team will resume BIG EAST Conference play with a road match at Villanova on Friday, Oct. 4 in Conshohocken, Pa. The Friars will return home for a non-conference game against Dartmouth on Sunday, Oct. 6 at Lennon Family Field in Providence, R.I. The match-up against the Big Green will serve as the backdrop for the program's annual Alumni Day and Pink Out Friartown event. The game is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.

PROVIDENCE VS. VILLANOVA
All-time series: Providence leads series,24-11-2
Last meeting: Providence 1, Villanova 0 (OT) - Sept. 29, 2018 (Providence, R.I.)

PROVIDENCE VS. DARTMOUTH
All-time series: Dartmouth leads series, 6-5
Last meeting: Providence 3, Dartmouth 1 – Oct. 15, 2017 (Hanover, N.H.)

SCOUTING PROVIDENCE COLLEGE:
• Providence enters the weekend with a 5-4 overall record and a 1-1 mark in the BIG EAST Conference.

• Providence is 1-3 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) and No. 6 Louisville (2-0).  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 suffered their first multi-goal loss of the season against No. 6 Louisville on Sept. 29 (2-0). It also marked the first game this season that Providence was held scoreless.

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

• Senior Izzy Mendez (Cedar Grove, N.J.) leads the Friars in scoring with 12 points on five goals and two assists. She has tallied a goal in three of the Friars' last four games, including both BIG EAST matches, and has totaled eight points overall in that four-game span.

• Senior Mary O'Reilly (Longmeadow, Mass.) is second on the team in scoring with seven points.  She has recorded two goals and a team-best three assists.

• Junior Olivia Ward (North Havelock, New Zealand) missed three games with an injury this season, but ranks second on the team in goals scored (three) and third in points (seven).

• Graduate student Lydia Rice (Carle Place, N.Y.) has played 593 minutes in the cage and owns a 1.32 goals against average and a 0.735 save percentage. She has recorded four shut-out victories this season and nine in her career.

• Providence ranks eighth in the nation in penalty corners per game (7.89).  Villanova leads the BIG EAST and is third in the nation with 8.88 per contest.

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

• Providence leads the all-time series against Villanova, 24-11-2, including a 12-3 mark in the last 15 meetings between the two schools.  The Friars have won each of the last three games against the Wildcats, with Villanova's last victory coming in 2015 on its home field (3-1).

• Dartmouth leads the all-time series against Providence, 6-5. The last meeting between the two teams dates back to Oct. 15, 2017, which featured a 3-1 victory for Providence.

SCOUTING VILLANOVA:
• Villanova enters the weekend with 3-5 overall record, including an 0-2 mark in the BIG EAST Conference.

• The Wildcats opened the season with wins in three of their first four games, but have suffered four-straight losses to Georgetown (3-2), Rider (4-3), No. 13 Liberty (5-0) and Penn State (8-2).

• Lydia Sydnor and Emily Clarke have cracked double digits in the points column through eight regular-season games. Sydnor owns 20 points on eight goals and four assists, while Clarke checks in with 10 points on four goals and two assists.

• Sydnor recorded four of her team-best eight goals against Wagner on Sept. 13. The three tallies all came within the first 18 minutes of the game, and she totaled nine points on the day (four goals; one assist). Sydnor has recorded just one goal and has added two assists in the last four games.

• Jordan McGinley has played 429 minutes in the cage for Villanova and owns a 3.93 goals against average and a 0.542 save percentage.

SCOUTING DARTMOUTH:
• Dartmouth enters the weekend with a 3-5 overall record and will face Brown in Ivy League play on Saturday, Oct. 5 before making its way to Providence College.

• The Big Green have earned victories in two of their last three games, including their most recent match on Sept. 29. On that day, Dartmouth defeated UMass Lowell, 4-3, in overtime. The River Hawks led the game 3-1 midway through the third quarter. Dartmouth rallied to score at 42:05 and 58:43 to tie the game for force OT. The Big Green recorded the game-winning goal 4:17 into the extra session.

• Dartmouth owns a 2-2 record in overtime games this season.

• Katie Spanos and Carmen Braceras lead the offense with 11 points each, having combined to score nine of the Big Green's 16 goals. Spanos has tallied four goals and a team-best three assists. Braceras has recorded a team-best five goals and one assist.

• Isabella Santucci has played 508 minutes in the cage for Dartmouth and owns a 3.19 goals against average and a 0.716 save percentage.

WHAT'S NEXT:
• Providence will return to action on Friday, Oct. 11 against Connecticut in BIG EAST regular-season play. The match will be played in Storrs, Conn and is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. The Friars will complete the weekend with a home game against New Hampshire on Sunday, Oct. 13 at 1:00 p.m. on Lennon Family Field in Providence, R.I.

2019 PROVIDENCE COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY AWARDS & HONORS:

Corinne Kenney
Preseason All-BIG EAST

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

Mary O'Reilly
Preseason All-BIG EAST

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

Corinne Kenney

Izzy Mendez

Mary O'Reilly

Lydia Rice

Kara Sanford

Olivia Ward