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News for 12 March 2021

All the news for Friday 12 March 2020


Ireland get rare chance to face big name on home turf

BBC NI and RTE are both on hand to broadcast Ireland's first meeting with GB on home turf in 13 years, it offers a great challenge for the Green Army to ramp up their Tokyo preparations


Shirley McCay at the Olympic qualifier in November 2019. Pic: Deryck Vincent

After 13 years and 250 odd games in the interim, Shirley McCay says memories are “sketchy” enough of Great Britain’s last visit to Ireland.

For the record, GB won 3-0 at the Setanta Trophy in Belfield in 2008 en route to winning the short-lived competition.

It came at a time when the broadcaster – a forerunner to Eir Sport – was establishing itself as an outlet with a keen interest in hockey, also showing IHL finals weekends and Leinster schoolgirls finals live.

It enabled some star power to visit with Germany and South Africa’s women along with GB, Canada and Pakistan’s men’s teams all competing for high quality four nations tournaments.

In that context, it has been a rare thing since to have events in Ireland on live television outside of the 2012 men’s and 2016 women’s Olympic qualifiers, particularly for non-tournament games.  

So to have both BBC NI and RTE on board to broadcast this uncapped series represents quite a coup for Hockey Ireland to get these games at Queen’s.  

“Unless we are hosting a major tournament, we don’t tend to get those countries coming over to play us,” McCay said ahead of the games which take place on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday.

“Having the reigning Olympic champions on home soil and not being able to get people out to support is sad but it is the reality.

“It’s good to have them come over this side of the water!”  adding with tongue firmly-in-cheek: “It is nice to have them back. The fact they haven’t been over in 13 years perhaps says a lot about a lack of desire to want to play us considering we are just a 50-minute flight away!”

McCay is keen to put one thing right on her personal record.

“I don’t think we have beaten them in my time which has been a good few occasions [between GB and England], both in tournaments and friendlies so it would be a good time to get one over on them.  

“There’s a real buzz about the next few days and we will hopefully perform. We are grateful for BBC and RTE covering the games and hopefully it will get good coverage.”

Of course, the bigger picture is the preparations for a hectic summer with June’s European Championships with the Olympic Games following soon after. Katie Mullan alluded to it in the series launch that the series acts as a re-introduction of the panel to the public after a low-key 2020 with the pandemic wiping the calendar.

“To put it in perspective, everyone had their own worries so it wouldn’t really be appropriate to be in the public eye,” McCay said. “We have been out of the spotlight and that’s fine; we have been ticking away and that’s actually when we perform our best. Over the next few months, we want to make sure the hard work pays off so we actually go to Tokyo and perform.

“It is hard to judge where we are but that’s the same for the other nations who are in the same boat. We are happy to create that really competitive environment at training so selection is as tough as it can be.”

Winning the series in Spain in January was a good step forward, especially against an opponent able to avail of a full club programme.  

It did come with a big downside, though, with Zoe Wilson picking up an ACL injury which will almost certainly rule her out of the Olympics and McCay says the defender will be missed.

“Devastating. It’s been difficult for the group. It’s a massive loss; we keep in regular contact and her surgery has been successful. Knowing Zoe, she is incredibly strong mentally and I have no doubt she will do everything she can to get back soon but we have lost a big part of our team.”

It does mean opportunity knocks for someone to step up and nab a defensive spot and Sean Dancer has named the uncapped Sarah McAuley in the squad to play in Queen’s while UCC’s Caoimhe Perdue also travels.  

“The younger girls have done phenomenally. You can see how much they are developing and its hugely positive for the year that’s in it. We need as much competition as possible and Sarah is a fine example of that. Fantastic young player with a big future ahead of her.”

***

Where to watch  

BBC Sport NI

BBC Sport NI will broadcast live coverage of all three games in the SoftCo series from Queen’s University playing fields on BBC iPlayer and on its website, bbc.co.uk/sportni. Nigel Ringland will present the coverage and will be joined on commentary by former Ireland captain Alex Speers.  

Ringland said of the series: “I can imagine there are a lot of hockey fans who would love to see Ireland play the Olympic Champions on home turf but with current restrictions, unfortunately that’s not possible.  

“But the good news is that we’ll have all the action on BBC iPlayer and on the website. Ireland women are in a really exciting place with Olympic qualification for the first time on the back of that memorable World Cup in 2018 while the postponement for a year of the Tokyo Games has given Great Britain a wonderful opportunity to defend their title this summer.”

Fans can also watch Ringland’s epic documentary Live Like Legends on the iPlayer, charting the team’s journey to the 2018 World Cup Final and subsequent dramatic Olympic qualification.

Saturday 13 March: 2pm. BBC Sport NI website, BBC iPlayer.
Sunday 14 March: 5pm. BBC Sport NI website, BBC iPlayer.
Tuesday 16 March: 3pm. BBC Sport NI website, BBC iPlayer.

RTÉ Sport

On RTE, the first and third encounters will be on RTÉ Player and the second game will be on RTÉ2 with coverage from 4.30pm on Sunday, March 14.  

Evanne Ní Chuillin will front Sunday’s coverage with commentary from George Hamilton with the former saying: “The World Cup matches in 2018 and the Olympic qualifiers in 2019 provided Irish sports fans with some of the most dramatic moments we’ve witnessed by Irish athletes on the world stage.  

“We can’t wait to follow the fortunes of Sean Dancer’s squad in Tokyo, and this series of matches against the Olympic champions will whet our appetite for the next exciting chapter for these phenomenal Irish sportswomen.”

Saturday 13 March: 2.00pm Live on RTÉ Player (commentary: Ger Canning)
Sunday 14 March: 4.30pm Live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player (presented by Evanne Ní Chuillin with Gillian Pinder and Cliodhna Sargent, commentary: George Hamilton and Sarah Scott)
Tuesday 16 March: 3.00pm Live on RTÉ Player (commentary: Ger Canning)

The Hook



Ireland’s Green Army make changes for GB matches


Deirdre Duke, left, will play for Ireland

Zoe Wilson, seen as a key cog in Hockey Ireland women’s squad, looks set to miss the Tokyo Olympics after an ACL injury.

Wilson, 24, picked up the injury on the Green Army’s trip to Spain earlier this year. With Tokyo taking place in July, she is unlikely to recover in time for the Games.

Wilson, who has been an ever-present in the Ireland team since making her debut five years ago, has undergone surgery and her recovery is “progressing well”, according to Hockey Ireland.

She will thus be missing from the SoftCo Series, which will take place in Queen’s University Belfast this weekend with Ireland taking on Great Britain.

Head coach Sean Dancer said: “These matches give us the opportunity to test an extended group of players against a world class team.

“Niamh Carey performed well as a late replacement on the Spanish tour in January and Sarah McAuley has shown competitiveness and composure in defence in recent inter squad matches.

“I look forward to getting back to high quality international matches with the squad at the weekend.”

Ireland

Beth Barr, Michelle Carey, Niamh Carey, Naomi Carroll, Elizabeth Colvin, Nicola Daly, Deirdre Duke, Nicola Evans, Megan Frazer, Sarah Hawkshaw, Zara Malseed, Hannah Matthews, Sarah McAuley, Shirley McCay, Ayeisha McFerran, Hannah McLoughlin, Katie Mullan (c), Elizabeth Murphy, Anna O’Flanagan, Grace O’Flanagan, Elena Tice, Sarah Torrans, Roisin Upton, Chloe Watkins

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The Hockey Paper



GB Hockey women take strong squad for Ireland matches


Hollie Pearne-Webb is back in GB colours PIC: WORLDSPORTPICS

GB women’s coach Mark Hager has taken his near-to-full national programme to Belfast for a three-match series against Ireland, which starts this weekend. Hager has 25 players at his disposal – a rare commodity since the Australian took over as national coach.

Captain Hollie Pearne-Webb, midfielder Hannah Martin and Giselle Ansley, out of action since the 2019 Olympic qualifiers, all return while Emily Defroand is missing due to injury.

The non-Test matches are set for Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday on the BBC Sport NI website, BBC iPlayer and the FIH’s Watch Hockey app.

Great Britain’s performance director Ed Barney said: “This trip presents a huge opportunity to the programme. Having committed some hard yards at Bisham, the players and staff are relishing the opportunity to compete on the international stage.

“With future trips planned and the FIH Hockey Pro League shortly upon us, these matches mark the start of an important competitive phase leading into the Tokyo Olympics.”

The matches will be GB’s first since the Pro League last autumn. Following the short Belfast trip – GB last played on Irish soil 13 years ago – GB participate at home in the FIH Pro League.

They face China, Argentina and USA in May.

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The Hockey Paper



BBC To Broadcast GB Women's Series Against Ireland



Great Britain’s women will play Ireland in a series of three uncapped matches as they continue to prepare for the resumption of the FIH Hockey Pro League and the Tokyo Olympics.

These games will provide the squad with the opportunity to put into practice what they’ve been working hard on at Bisham Abbey over the last few months.

The matches will be contested on 13, 14 and 16 March and broadcast live on the BBC Sport NI website, BBC iPlayer and the FIH’s Watch Hockey app.

Mark Hager is able to take almost his full squad out to Ireland, with nine players selected having been unable to play in the FIH Hockey Pro League matches against Belgium and The Netherlands in October and November last year.  

This includes captain Hollie Pearne-Webb, midfielder Hannah Martin and Giselle Ansley, who hasn’t played since the 2019 FIH Olympic Qualifiers after surgery on her Achilles tendon. Unfortunately, Emily Defroand won’t travel due to injury.

Great Britain’s Performance Director Ed Barney said: “This trip presents a huge opportunity to the programme. Having committed some hard yards at Bisham, the players and staff are relishing the opportunity to compete on the international stage.

“With future trips planned and the FIH Hockey Pro League shortly upon us, these matches mark the start of an important competitive phase leading into the Tokyo Olympics.”

As these matches are uncapped, GB Hockey will not be directly reporting on them but we will provide details of how you can watch the games on our social media pages.

The current crop of Great Britain stars will then play their first matches on home soil since late 2019 when the FIH Hockey Pro League returns to London in two months’ time. They face China on 8-9 May, Argentina on 15-16 May and USA on 22-23 May. For more information, click here.


GB's women were last in action in November 2020, when they beat Belgium 2-1 in the FIH Hockey Pro League

Fixtures

    Saturday 13 March: Ireland v Great Britain, 14:00 GMT
    Sunday 14 March: Ireland v Great Britain, 17:00 GMT
    Tuesday 16 March: Ireland v Great Britain, 15:00 GMT

GB women’s squad

1) Maddie Hinch (GK) – England
3) Amy Tennant (GK) – Reading HC/England
4) Laura Unsworth – East Grinstead HC/England
5) Sarah Evans – Surbiton HC/England
6) Anna Toman – Wimbledon HC/England
7) Hannah Martin – Surbiton HC/England
8) Sarah Jones – Holcombe HC/Wales
9) Susannah Townsend – Canterbury HC/England
10) Sarah Robertson – Hampstead & Westminster HC/Scotland
12) Charlotte Watson – Loughborough Students/Scotland
13) Ellie Rayer – East Grinstead HC/England
14) Tess Howard – East Grinstead HC/England
17) Leah Wilkinson – Holcombe HC/Wales
18) Giselle Ansley – Surbiton HC/England
20) Hollie Pearne-Webb (C) – England
22) Lizzie Neal – Loughborough Students/England
24) Shona McCallin – England
25) Sabbie Heesh (GK) – Surbiton HC/England
26) Lily Owsley – Hampstead & Westminster HC/England
27) Jo Hunter – Buckingham HC/England
29) Esme Burge – University of Nottingham HC/England
31) Grace Balsdon – Hampstead & Westminster HC/England
32) Amy Costello – East Grinstead HC/Scotland
33) Izzy Petter – Loughborough Students/England
38) Fiona Crackles – Durham University/England  

BBC Sport



Terengganu trounce Sabah in MHL opener

By Jugjet Singh


Sabah goalie Muhammad Ridzwan Azmi (centre) tries to stop the ball from entering the goal during the match against Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) at National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil. - BERNAMA pic

Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) hammered Sabah 11-0 in the curtain-raiser of the men's Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) yesterday.

Three matches were held under strict SOP at the fan-less National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

The players and officials who are staying inside a sports bubble, had a different entrance from the media, and everyone kept their distance.

THT were slightly rusty, while Sabah relied on former MHL players Jiwa Mohan, B. Namasivayam and Baljit Singh Sarjab, but they were not much of a help.

THT, however, got the job done in slow motion, but their huge margin of victory was hardly convincing.

Faizal Saari, who had just recovered from Covid-19, opened the flood gates in the third minute via a penalty stroke.

The national forward added three more goals in the 40th, 41st and 55th minutes.

Shello Silverius, another THT player who came out of Covid-19 quarantine looking sharp, scored the second off a field attempt in the sixth minute before adding another in the 29th minute.

Akhimullah Anuar Esook (28th, 45th), Arif Syafie Ishak (34th), Sufi Ismat (51st) and Nukman Hakim (57th) were the other scorers.

"It was a slow start, and I expected it because the players had not played any matches since the Razak Cup (in September).

"However, they slowly got their act together, and the goals came," said THT coach K. Rajan.

RESULTS — Nur Insafi 0 UiTM 3, Sabah 0 Terengganu Hockey Team 11, TNB Thunderbolts 0 Maybank 5.

FIXTURE — TODAY: Charity Shield: Tenaga Nasional v UniKL (8pm, Pitch I). * Match at National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

New Straits Times



Teams get to spar with England, Japan

By Jugjet Singh


Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal.

The Malaysian men and women's hockey teams will get a chance to spar with England and Japan during the Ramadan month.

Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal said arrangements are being made to play the Olympic-bound teams.

"We have made arrangements for both the men and women's Japan and England Olympic teams to play in Malaysia during the fasting month.

"The men will play a quadrangular with Malaysia A, Malaysia B, Japan and England, while the women's tournament might be a triangular event.

"Malaysia B will comprise our juniors. I believe it will give our juniors an opportunity to test their mettle," said Subahan yesterday.

Kuantan is likely to host the friendly matches.

"We are thinking of playing the friendlies in Kuantan under a sports bubble," he added.

New Straits Times



Legendary Moments: Fabulous France stun Olympic champions Argentina in Bhubaneswar



In the latest of our Legendary Moments series, we re-live arguably the biggest upset of the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2018 in Bhubaneswar, where 20th ranked France recorded a stunning 5-3 victory over Argentina, the reigning Olympic champions from Rio 2016.

It was a crucial win that kept France in the competition, with the team going on to take an eighth-place finish in their first FIH Men’s World Cup since Lahore 1990.

France captain Victor Charlet spoke with FIH about that epic encounter against Los Leones, and how the experience of competing at against the world’s best in Bhubaneswar will help his side in their preparations for the home Olympic Games of Paris 2024.

A full match replay of that enthralling contest is available for all fans on the Watch.Hockey app.

Hi Victor, thanks for talking to us! France hadn’t been to an FIH World Cup since 1990, so simply qualifying for the competition itself must have been a big moment for your team.

Victor Charlet: “It was really a big performance to get to the World Cup, because France was not a big country in the world of hockey. Just to be at the World Cup was a big achievement. When we knew we had made it, the team was very happy. The dream came true, yes.”

You started well, losing narrowly to New Zealand (2-1), but then drew with Spain (1-1). Both teams were higher ranked, so confidence was clearly growing ahead of that clash against Olympic champions Argentina. What was the mood like ahead of the Argentina match?

Victor Charlet: “We were very disappointed about the result against New Zealand, because we thought we were the better team. The second game [against Spain], 1-1 was a good result. It was a good start to the competition, but with only one point we needed to win the game against Argentina to have a future in the competition. The spirit was that we win, or we die, so we were veery focussed on the game. There was a lot of pressure, but the team was confident.

Whilst you handled the pressure extremely well, no-one would have foreseen what was to come. The match itself was incredible, with the second quarter being unbelievable. It was 0-0 at the start of the quarter, and by the end it was 4-1 to France, and you had got on the score-sheet. What are your memories of that quarter of hockey?

Victor Charlet: “The game was crazy in all the quarters, really. The second quarter was maybe the best. The Argentina team were perfect for us because they [played open hockey], which we like because we have some crazy men in the team, and we play quickly. The second quarter was goal after goal after goal. It was weird, like a dream. We are in the World Cup against Argentina, and it was really crazy! As a defender, you watch your strikers and midfielders creating, doing their skills and scoring some goals, and it was crazy to see that.”

You deserved that 4-1 lead at half time, but in a contest against the Olympic champions, it was always going to be tough. Argentina came out strong in the second half, scoring goals in the third and fourth quarters through penalty corner expert Gonzalo Peillat to take the score to 4-3. Did you start to feel any nerves?

Victor Charlet: “It’s hard in hockey when you are winning by a lot of goals. In your head you think that you don’t need to score, but you have to try to stay positive and continue to attack, I think. If you take football, if you are winning by three goals you can say, ‘ok, I put the bus in front of the goal and we can win’! In hockey, it is impossible because the game is too quick, and with penalty corners [the score can swiftly change], especially with Gonzalo Peillat. In the locker room, the team and the coach were really calm, and the spirit was that we continue to attack. When the score was 4-3, I think the team still stayed humble and calm, but in our heads, I think we were a little bit nervous. However, with the experience and the cleverness of the team, we did win the game, finally! We started the World Cup with maybe the youngest team in the competition, and it was the first World Cup for all of the players. To win against the Olympic champions and reach the cross-overs of the World Cup, the feeling was perfect.  It was an achievement for all of the players. As a French hockey player, it is not always easy because the sport is not professional in France. This victory was a big achievement for all of the team and French hockey.”

The story did not finish there, with France defeating China in the cross-overs to reach the quarter finals. Placed number 20 in the FIH World Rankings, France were now guaranteed a top eight finish. You fell to defeat against Australia in the quarter-finals, but with an eighth place finish in the World Cup, you must have been so proud.

Victor Charlet: “We are very proud of the result. Before the World Cup, our team goal was to finish in the top eight, but it was a big goal. We never spoke about it [publicly], but in our team before the competition, that was our goal. Against Australia, it was a big game, with big pressure to play against one of the best teams in the world. I think 3-0 was hard on us because we played well, but it was a pleasure to play this game.”

Sadly, France did not quite make it to Tokyo, suffering a narrow defeat to Spain in the 2019 FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers. However, we are just three years away from the Olympic Games Paris 2024. How do you think the experiences in Bhubaneswar has helped your group as you prepare for a home Olympics?

Victor Charlet: “It was a bad experience to not [qualify for] Tokyo, but I think the team is really focussed on Paris. It is a big opportunity to play the Olympics and show the world of hockey that France is already here. With the World Cup, now we know the highest level of world hockey is close to us. At the beginning, we said ‘we are not far away’, but when you play a World Cup, you watch the other teams. All the details are huge to work on, and now we know how to work and the points of work that we have to do. I think with that experience, the group is really ready to work for the Paris Olympics, and we are very happy to play an Olympics at home.”  

#LegendaryMoments

FIH site



ABN AMRO vision aligns with EHL’s move to go #EquallyAmazing



The Euro Hockey League is looking forward to going #EquallyAmazing this Easter for the first time with the FINAL4 for men and women on an equal footing.

It is a long time in the making with the move for EHL Women first announced in 2018 before the Covid-19 pandemic saw its debut postponed twice.

But, with clearance from the Dutch government in place, Easter sees the competition finally arrive with equally high levels of broadcasting, showcasing the very best club hockey in the world.

The #EquallyAmazing ambition aligns directly with EHL presenting partner ABN AMRO’s “equal chances” vision, part of which is pushing clubs they sponsor in the Netherlands who pay their players to do so on an equal basis.

Marco Moers and Mandy Beck – from ABN AMRO’s diversity and inclusion group – spoke about the project on a special EHL and EHF podcast to coincide with International Women’s Day 2021 earlier this week.

“We needed a hard headline! ABN AMRO has a clear vision and ambition for equal opportunities,” Moers said in the podcast. “We also use this policy in the places where we sponsor. In hockey, the urgency was high because there is a real difference between men and women, a difference that is maintained by sponsors like us.  

“Given our role, it was time to take action for equality. This is why our programme – The Time to Catch Up – was introduced, a clear statement in the beginning, followed by an intense programme to change hockey.

Beck added: “This is a sponsorship which we have a role in making changes but it is something that we stand for. It’s a natural step for us to make sure it is in all the teams which we work with.”

Euro Hockey League media release



Weekend College Games: March 11 - 17



More and more college teams are starting to get back to competition! This coming weekend and week's 53-game schedule (schedule subject to change) will be the most games played so far in 2020v2!

Friday, March 12, 2021

DI: Lock Haven at Massachusetts | Canceled
DI: Ball State at Appalachian State | 12:00 p.m. ET | Twitch

A Mid-American Conference (MAC) matchup you don’t want to miss as the Mountaineers (0-1, 0-0 MAC) host the Cardinals (0-2, 0-0 MAC) in Boone, N.C. Coming in to the first of two matchups this weekend, both teams are seeking their first win of the 2020v2 season.

Last week versus Davidson, Appalachian State jumped out to an 1-0 advantage from a redirected shot attempt toward the back of the net off a corner opportunity. Davidson would then score four unanswered goals, three in the second quarter, and head into the half with a 4-1 lead.

Appalachian State came out in the second half with pressure and found the net again but was not enough to close the gap. The Mountaineers outshot the Wildcats 7-2 in the second half and drew four penalty corners.

Ball State is looking to rebound after a 0-5 loss to Louisville last Sunday. The Cardinals’ defense had some stellar moments throughout the 60-minute duration having a lot success in the first half alone. Ball State managed to hold its nationally ranked opponent to only two goals by intermission, but were outmatched in shots (18-5), shots on goal (13-5) and penalty corners (8-3)

DI: Monmouth at Temple | 12:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats

After splitting a home-and-home series last weekend, Temple (2-5, 1-5 BIG EAST) will host Monmouth (2-0, 0-0 America East) in a non-conference matchup in Philadelphia.

Monmouth returns to the pitch after their scheduled game against Drexel on Wednesday, March 10, was postponed. They previously hosted La Salle in the team’s first home game of the 2020v2 season, where the Hawks claimed a 4-0 victory. In that matchup, Monmouth produced 17 shots on goal with four separate goal scorers, all of which came in the first half.

Temple is coming off a 1-2 overtime loss against Villanova at Howarth Field where the Owls got on the board first late in the opening frame. Villanova tied in the 35th minute before neither team could capitalize on a go-ahead goal in regulation. Temple earned nine penalty corners in the game and conceded three, the fewest allowed this season.

This will be the team’s first meeting since 2016, where the Hawks edged the Owls 3-2 on the road.

DI: Northeastern at UMass-Lowell | 1:00 p.m. ET  

In another non-conference game Friday afternoon, Northeastern (1-1, 0-0 CAA) hits the road to play the University of Massachusetts Lowell (1-0, 0-0 America East).

Both squads are coming off victories over Bryant last weekend as they look to add to their respective win columns. For Northeastern, it was a 3-1 contest at home against Bryant, where the Huskies tallied 35 shots on goal and 21 penalty corners. The River Hawks blanked the Bulldogs 3-0 for the program’s seventh consecutive win in a home opener. The River Hawks controlled possession the entire afternoon, limiting the Bulldogs to just one shot, while firing off 44 in their offensive end. The home team also forced an impressive 18 corners in the contest without allowing any for Bryant.

DI: Longwood at Kent State | 1:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+($)

Kent State (0-0) will make their 2020v2 season debut this Friday when they travel to Farmville, Va. for a pair of matches against MAC opponent Longwood (1-0, 0-0 MAC).

The Golden Flashes finished their 2019 campaign with a 11-9 overall record and a loss to Miami in the MAC Tournament after defeating Longwood in the opening round.

Longwood is looking to start their four game homestead with another tally in the win column after downing Davidson 2-1 last weekend. The Lancers took the lead in the 18th minute before adding another in the 49th minute. Davidson evened the score moments later but a strong defensive effort by Longwood kept the lead for a season-opening win.

DI: Maine at Massachusetts | 1:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+($)

Maine (0-1, 0-0 America East) and Massachusetts (2-1, 0-0 A10) meet in a non-conference game in Amherst, Mass. Friday afternoon.

Maine previously played Boston College, losing 3-5. The Eagles got on the board quickly, but the Black Bears tied minutes later. Another score by Boston College with just over ninety seconds remaining put them up for good as they tallied two more goals in the third.

UMass defeated Vermont last week. After quick score son both sides, the Minutewomen broke the tie in the 10th minute and never looked back.

UMass and Maine last met during the 2014 season when the Minutewomen secured a 3-2 victory in overtime.

DI: Michigan State at Rutgers | 1:00 p.m. ET | BTN+($)

Both fresh off conference wins of their own, Michigan State (1-2, 0-0 Big Ten) will have its first teat on the road this weekend in two games against conference foe Rutgers (3-1, 3-1 Big Ten) in Piscataway, N.J.

Michigan State picked up its first win last weekend against Indiana, outshooting the Hoosiers 12-1 and holding a 10-0 advantage in penalty corners in a 2-0 win.

Rutgers meanwhile defeated Ohio State for the second time this season this past Sunday, taking down the Buckeyes 1-0 in a strong defensive effort, especially in the first quarter where the backline turned away five shots and four penalty corners.

In 2019 the Scarlet Knights bested the Spartans in their regular season Big Ten meeting, 3-2, in East Lansing, Mich.

DII: Coker at Mount Olive | 4:00 p.m. ET | CC Digital Network

Coker makes its season debut in Mount Olive, N.C. in a Friday afternoon clash with the Trojans (0-3, 0-3 CC)

The first two games for the Cobras were postponed over the past two weeks and have not taken the pitch since October 2019.

Mount Olive is looking for win number one on the year at home and are coming off a 0-6 shutout.

DI: Fairfield at Hofstra | 2:00 p.m. ET | Stretch Live

Both Fairfield (1-0, 0-0 NEC) and Hofstra (2-3, 0-0 CAA) wrap up non-conference play this week.

The Pride are coming off a 1-0 overtime road win over Wagner on Friday (Mar. 5) and a tight 1-0 win at home against Sacred Heart on Sunday (Mar. 7).

Fairfield face a UAlbany team that appeared in mid-season form, but the Stags defense was kept on alert for the first 20 minutes of the game. The game turned when the Stags applied pressure in the final four minutes of the second quarter which resulted in the team's first penalty corner of the game, resulting in a goal. Momentum carried into the second half where Fairfield added two more scores.

DI: New Hampshire at Boston College | 2:00 p.m. ET | ACCNX

With their spring seasons underway New Hampshire (2-0, 0-0 America East) and Boston College (1-4, 0-3 ACC) will meet in Newtown, Mass. in a non-conference matchup on Friday afternoon.

The Wildcats are coming off an impressive 6-0 win over Merrimack, all scored in the first half and led in shots (14-2), shots on goal (11-0) and penalty corners (4-2).

Boston College returns home after an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) clash with Wake Forest where the Eagles fell 0-3. The Demon Deacons opened the scoring 7:36 into the game and added two more in the second half in the 35th and 48th minutes of the game. The Eagles did have some chances, earning five penalty corners on the day, as well as two goals which were ultimately overturned on reviews.

The two sides squared off back in November in conference play where Wake Forest came away with a 6-2 win.

DI: Maryland at Penn State | 3:00 p.m. ET | BTN+($)

Also coming off two weekends in Virginia Beach, Va., Maryland (2-2, 2-1 Big Ten) looks to go above .500 versus Penn State (1-2, 1-1 Big Ten) this weekend across tow games in University Park, Pa.

The Nittany Lions took down Northwestern 2-1 in a shootout on Friday and then dropped another game to Iowa on Sunday, dropping a hard-fought 1-0 contest to the Hawkeyes. Maryland is coming off a similar 1-1 weekend in Virginia Beach. The Terrapins downed Ohio State 2-0 and then lost a second game to Northwestern by a 1-0 score.

The Nittany Lions lead the all-time series with Maryland 24-17-1. Penn State won the last meeting in last year's Big Ten tournament.

DI: Ohio at Miami | 4:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats

Ohio will look to start tis 2020v2 season on a high note when they travel to Oxford, Ohio to face Miami (3-0, 0-0 MAC) twice this week, with the first slated for Friday afternoon.

The Bobcats finished 2019 with a 8-8 record and 4-2 in conference play. After back-to-back losses to finish the regular season, including one to Miami, Ohio fell in a heartbreaking 4-5 overtime loss to Appalachian State in the quarterfinal round of the Mid-American Conference Championship.

The RedHawks are looking to extend a strong start to the spring season and are coming off two wins over Saint Louis. Their first game went to overtime where it took roughly 90 seconds for Miami to find the back of the net. The RedHawks did not yield a hot on goal in their second matchup and countered with 19 of their own en-route to a 2-0 regulation win.

DI: Indiana at Northwestern | 4:00 p.m. ET

Big Ten Conference action returns this weekend as Northwestern (3-1, 2-1 Big Ten) hosts Indiana (0-4, 0-0 Big Ten) in the first of two matches this weekend in Evanston, Ill.

The Hoosiers look to shake off a tough weekend in Michigan after falling to the Wolverines and Spartans. Against MSU in East Lansing, an early goal put Indiana on the back foot and did not register a shot on goal until late in the final quarter.

The Wildcats meanwhile return home after a pair of conference games of their own at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex in Virginia Beach, Va. this past weekend – the first was a 1-2 shootout loss to Penn State and the second was a 2-1 win over Maryland. After the Terrapins tied the game 1-1 in the third period, it seemed Northwestern would be heading to its second straight overtime, but a goal in the 54th minute changed all that as the Wildcats sit on their best start through four games since 2014.

DI: Central Michigan at Bellarmine | 4:00 p.m. ET | BU Knights Sports Network

Central Michigan will open the 2020v2 season on the road as they face Bellarmine (0-2) in two games this weekend in Louisville, Ky.

In 2019, Central Michigan finished 2-17 and 0-6 in conference play which ended in a 0-2 loss to Appalachian State in the Mid-American Conference Championship. They look to snap a losing streak that dates back to September of that season against a Knights squad that lost back-to-back games against Saint Louis at the end of February. Bellarmine has yet to register a goal in the spring season.

DI: Michigan at Iowa | 4:00 p.m. ET | BTN+($)

Big Ten conference play will continue Friday afternoon when Michigan (1-0, 1-0 Big Ten) hits the road for two games in Iowa City, Iowa versus the Hawkeyes (4-0, 3-0 Big Ten).

This will be the first road test for the Wolverines this season after downing Indiana last weekend, 2-1. Both goals came off penalty corners as the Wolverines bested the Hoosiers in all offensive categories in its season opener.

Iowa meanwhile remain perfect on the season with each of their outings resulting in a 1-0 win thus far. Last game against Penn State, the Hawkeyes’ offense put pressure on the Nittany Lion’s goal the entire match with 13 shots and eight shots on goal. Their aggressive strategy paid off in the second quarter when the game’s lone score came off a penalty corner attempt.

The scoreboard bore similar results in 2019 when Iowa topped Michigan 1-0 on the road.

DIII: Sweet Briar at Roanoke | 4:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats

An Old Dominion Athletic Conference showdown will show Roanoke (1-0, 1-0 ODAC) host Sweet Briar (0-1, 0-1 ODAC) in Salem, Va.

The Maroons kicked off the spring season with a 1-0 win over Randolph-Macon last weekend. The goal came about midway through the first quarter as Roanoke’s defense held firm against the eight combined shots by Randolph-Macon.

The Vixens are looking for win number one after a 1-4 loss to Bridgewater. Despite the scoreboard, Sweet Briar demonstrated a formidable offensive showing with seven shots in the second period and forced Bridgewater's goalkeeper to make three saves in the quarter. The Vixens posted 13 shots compared to Bridgewater’s 16.

DIII: Ferrum at Shenandoah | 5:00 p.m. ET | Hornets TV

ODAC action continues Friday evening when Ferrum (0-1, 0-1 ODAC) travels to Winchester, Va. to face Shenandoah (0-1, 0-1 ODAC).

Both programs are hungry for the first win of the season after losses on the road last weekend. For Ferrum, despite a solid defensive showing in the first half, gave up two goals in a 0-2 shutout versus Virginia Wesleyan. The Panthers were outshot 22-5 in the contest and gave up five penalty corners.

Shenandoah was outshot 17-7 against Lynchburg in their season opener, losing 1-3 and were also at a disadvantage on penalty corners, 7-4.

In a historical context, the Hornets have won all four meetings against the Panthers dating back to 2005. In 2019, Shenandoah won 11-0 as the away team.

DIII: Bridgewater at Lynchburg | 7:00 p.m. ET | YouTube

The third ODAC meeting on Friday will be against Bridgewater (1-0, 1-0 ODAC) and Lynchburg (1-0, 1-0 ODAC).

As the records indicate, both teams come in to Lynchburg after a conference win to begin the spring season. Bridgewater downed Sweet Briar 4-1, controlling much of the first quarter before going on the defensive in the second. Three second half goals by the Eagles proved to be a difference maker in the matchup as they finished with 16 shots and six penalty corners.

Lynchburg went toe-to-toe with Shenandoah and walked away with a 3-1 victory, which was started by a goal midway through the opening quarter. A penalty stroke opportunity tied the game for Shenandoah, and remained that way until the 37th minute when Lynchburg scored the game-winning goal off a penalty corner chance. One more goal for the Hornets secured the win in the fourth as Lynchburg held the edge in shots 17-7.

DIII: Virginia Wesleyan at Washington & Lee | 7:00 p.m. ET | Washington and Lee All-Access

Each with an ODAC win in the books, Virginia Wesleyan (1-0, 1-0 ODAC) and Washington & Lee (1-0, 1-0 ODAC) will meet in Lexington, Va. to see who will take an early conference lead in the 2020v2 season.

Virginia Wesleyan got off three shots before getting on the scoreboard in the sixth minute against Ferrum. That offensive prowess continued throughout the match as the Marlins finished with a 22-5 shot advantage in a 2-0 win.

Washington & Lee also dominated its contest last weekend versus Eastern Mennonite, where six separate athletes registered goals in a 7-0 shutout at home. The Generals took 41 shots and 17 penalty corners and did not yield an attempt in either category to the Royals.

Last season the Generals came away with a 3-0 victory on the road against the Marlins, and hold a 16-7 lifetime record coming in to Friday’s game.

DI: UC Davis at California | 9:00 p.m. ET | PAC-12 Cal  

West Coast field hockey will be under the lights Friday night in Berkeley, Calif. when California (0-1, 0-0 America East) hosts UC Davis (1-0, 0-0 America East) for the second of a home-and-home series.

Last Sunday was the first time both programs took to the pitch since 2019. After a scoreless first half, the Aggies got on the board first just 37 seconds into the third quarter. The Golden Bears tied the game seven minutes later, but in the final 15 seconds of the period, UC Davis found the back of the net in what turned out to be the game-winning goal.
 
Saturday, March 13, 2021

DI: Providence at Old Dominion | Postponed
DIII: Juniata at Drew | Postponed
DI: Saint Louis at Davidson | 11:00 a.m. ET | ESPN+($)

A Saturday morning Atlantic 10 (A-10) matchup has both Saint Louis (3-2, 0-0 A-10) and Davidson (1-2, 0-0 A-10) eying a conference win in Davidson, N.C. to get back on track early in the spring season.

The Billikens were tripped up last weekend in two showings versus Miami. The first match saw a penalty stroke by the RedHawks tie the game, force overtime and eventually claim victory in the extra period. In game two, Saint Louis was outshot 19-0 in a 0-2 loss.

Davidson made a final push versus Longwood last weekend but came up short in a 1-2 loss in the team’s third consecutive home game. Down 0-2, the Wildcats answered quickly after a long breakaway with 10:25 left. Davidson played the final 5:55 without a goalkeeper and were able to put a shot on goal with 4:57 left.

Last year these two teams needed all four quarters to determine the winner as the Wildcats pulled away late in a 2-0 win.

DI: Ball State at Appalachian State | 12:00 p.m. ET | Twitch
DI: North Carolina at Wake Forest | 12:00 p.m. ET | ACCNX

With one game each completed in the spring season, North Carolina (11-1, 4-1 ACC) travels to Winston Salem, N.C. to face Wake Forest (4-8, 1-0 ACC).

In its first match of the 2020v2 season, the Tar Heels defeated Louisville 2-0 in a rematch of the 2020 ACC Championship game. Louisville totaled 16 shots to UNC's 14, including seven in the third quarter alone. The Cardinals also out-cornered the Tar Heels, 10-5. UNC’s defensive effort was highlighted by senior goalkeeper Amanda Hendry, who was named the Play Safe Turf & Track/NFHCA Division I Defensive Player of the Week with eight saves in the shutout.

Wake Forest is also coming off an ACC victory after beating Boston College 3-0. The Demon Deacons scored on their first attempt to make it 1-0 through the half. Wake Forest led 20-13 in shots.

DI: Quinnipiac at Villanova | 12:00 p.m. ET | Nova Nation All-Access

A BIG EAST weekend series kicks off Saturday afternoon in Conshohocken, Pa. when Villanova (1-5, 1-5 BIG EAST) hosts Quinnipiac (1-0, 1-0 BIG EAST).

The Wildcats are looking to extend momentum from a 2-1 overtime victory over Temple last weekend. This was the second of two meetings between the two squads last weekend, which saw the Wildcats tie the game in the third quarter before capitalizing on a rebound to the short side of the goal in the extra period. Villanova fell in the first match against the Owls 0-1 in what revealed to be a tight defensive battle.

Quinnipiac is coming off a 2-1 win over Providence. Quinnipiac took a 1-0 lead into half time and the third quarter before Providence tied the game with 11:59 left in the fourth quarter. The Bobcats bounced right back and answered the call six-and-a-half minutes later for the game-winner.

DI: Virginia at Louisville | 12:00 p.m. ET | ACCNX

Louisville (9-3, 0-1 ACC) hosts Virginia (4-8, 0-1 ACC) in a rematch of the semifinals of the 2019 ACC Championship.

The Cardinals downed the Cavaliers in all three meetings in the fall and are coming off a 5-0 win over Ball State. Virginia opened the spring season with a 0-2 loss to Duke.

DI: Kent State at Longwood | 1:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+($)
DI: Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth | 1:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+($)

Another A-10 matchup, Virginia Commonwealth (1-0, 0-0 A10) will host Richmond (0-0, 0-0 A10) Saturday afternoon.

This will be the first game for the Spiders since a 0-1 loss in the 2019 A-10 Championship. On the other side VCU last played on Valentine’s Day versus Old Dominion where they won 3-2. Despite being outshot 18-5, the Rams were ruthlessly efficient in front of the cage and edged ODU in overtime.

In 2019, the two teams met in the regular season where the Spiders prevailed in a 2-1 win in a sudden-victory shootout.

DIII: Eastern Mennonite at Randolph-Macon | 1:00 p.m. ET | ODAC Sports Network

With one game each in the books in the spring season, Eastern Mennonite (0-1, 0-0 ODAC) and Randolph-Macon (0-1, 0-1 ODAC) will clash in Harrisonburg, Va.

EMU suffered a 0-7 loss to Washington & Lee to open the spring. The Generals took 41 shots and 17 penalty corners and did not yield an attempt in either category to the Royals.

Randolph-Macon lost to Roanoke 0-1 previously and combined for eight shots and eight saves in the lowest combined score for a Yellow Jackets match since 2018.

DI: Vermont at Boston College | 3:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats
DI: Liberty vs. Connecticut | 3:30 p.m. ET | Live Stats

A BIG EAST showdown comes to Philadelphia as Liberty (7-0, 6-0 BIG EAST) and Connecticut (3-0, 2-0 BIG EAST) meet on neutral ground for two games this weekend.

Coming off two wins over Old Dominion last weekend, the Lady Flames were led by Jill Bolton, who registered right points on three goals and two assists, and earned her the Play Safe Turf & Track/NFHCA Division I Offensive Player of the Week Honors.

Connecticut shutout Providence 3-0 last weekend in the second of four scheduled meetings this spring. The Huskies out-shot the Friars 11-1, including 7-1 in shots on goal. Connecticut has also out-shot the opposition 55-4 on the season and 32-3 in shots on goal.

The Huskies hold a 7-0 record historically over the Lady Flames, but with both sides firing on all cylinders this spring, there is no telling how it will look in a few days time.

DI: Ohio at Miami | 3:30 p.m. ET | Live Stats
DI: Central Michigan at Bellarmine | 4:00 p.m. ET | BU Knights Sports Network

Sunday, March 14, 2021

DI: Providence vs. Old Dominion | Postponed
DI: Drexel at Temple | 12:00 p.m. ET | Owls TV

Despite two postponements in their schedule, Drexel (1-0, 0-0 CAA) will look to keep momentum flowing against Temple on the road.

Wednesday’s game against Monmouth was postponed, so the Dragons’ last match was last Friday against La Salle. A deadlock was ultimately broken late in the third quarter when Drexel took advantage of a turnover to get on the board. Another goal in the final minutes secured the win for the Dragons.

DI: Indiana at Northwestern | 12:00 p.m. ET
DI: Maryland at Penn State | 12:00 p.m. ET | BTN+($)
DI: Michigan State at Rutgers | 12:00 p.m. ET | BTN+($)
DIII: Moravian at Scranton | 12:00 p.m. ET | Landmark Digital Network

Moravian and Scranton will meet in an exhibition game at Weiss Field in Scranton, Pa.

DI: Quinnipiac at Villanova | 12:00 p.m. ET | Nova Nation All-Access
DI: Syracuse at Towson | 12:00 p.m. ET

Towson will make their spring debut on Sunday when they host Syracuse (6-4, 3-2 ACC).

last week Syracuse began their spring competition with a 4-1 win over Saint Joseph's.

This will be the first meeting between the two programs.

DI: UMass-Lowell at Massachusetts | 12:00 p.m. ET | Live Stats
DI: Lehigh at Laffayette | 1:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+($)

Sunday’s game will mark the first for both Lehigh and Lafayette in the 2020v2 season in a Patriot League matchup.

Lehigh was previously scheduled to face American last Sunday but was postponed. Lafayette defeated Lehigh in 2019 1-0 and holds a 16-3 historical advantage.

DI: Michigan at Iowa | 1:00 p.m. ET | BTN+($)
DI: Northeastern at New Hampshire | 1:00 p.m. ET | AE.TV
DI: Albany at Hofstra | 2:00 p.m. ET | Stretch Live

In a non-conference matchup, UAlbany (0-1, 0-0 America East) will travel to down-state to play Hofstra (2-3, 0-0 CAA) in Hempstead, N.Y.

The Great Danes fell 0-3 to Fairfield on March 9. Hofstra played twice last weekend, losing to both Wagner and Sacred Heart by a score of 0-1, with the contest against the Seahawks going to overtime.

DI: Bucknell at American | 2:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+($)

American hosts Bucknell in an early Patriot League matchup Sunday afternoon in Washington, D.C.

The Bison come off a close 1-2 affair against Colgate to open the spring season. Bucknell controlled possession for most of the day and finished with a 15-3 edge in shots and a 9-1 advantage in penalty corners, but Colgate goalkeeper Anna Unger had a huge day with 11 saves.

Sunday’s game will be the first for American after their game versus Lehigh was postponed late last week.

DI: Liberty vs. Connecticut | 2:30 p.m. ET | Live Stats  
DI: Saint Joseph's at Delaware | 4:00 p.m. ET | YouTube

Delaware will play in its first spring game this Sunday against Saint Joseph’s (0-1, 0-0 A-10).

Saint Joseph’s previously played against Syracuse, losing 1-4 last Sunday. The Orange outshot the Hawks, 11-7, on the day, with seven of those attempts coming in the second half. Syracuse also enjoyed a 6-3 advantage in penalty corners.

In 2019, SJU defeated the Delaware 4-2.
 
Monday, March 15, 2021

DI: Saint Louis at Appalachian State | 11:00 a.m. ET | Twitch
 
Tuesday, March 16, 2021

DII: Belmont Abbey vs. Coker | 2:00 p.m. ET
DIII: Shenandoah at Randolph-Macon | 6:00 p.m. ET | R-MC Video
DIII: Ferrum at Sweet Briar | 7:30 p.m. ET | Team1Sports
DIII: Roanoke at Bridgewater | 7:00 p.m. ET | Team1Sports

Wednesday, March 17, 2021

DII: Mount Olive at Converse | 4:00 p.m. ET | CC Digital Network
DII: Virginia Wesleyan at Eastern Mennonite | 4:00 p.m. ET | ODAC Sports Network

Click here for the weekly schedule and live stream links. Note: schedule and times subject to change.

USFHA media release



Iowa field hockey set for home-opener with Michigan

The only undefeated teams in the Big Ten Conference will square off this weekend at Grant field in Iowa City.

Ben Palya


Iowa midfielder Ellie Holley runs after the ball during a field hockey game between Iowa and Duke at Grant Field on Sunday, September 15, 2019. The Hawkeyes were defeated by the Blue Devils, 2-1 after two overtime periods. Hannah Kinson

Nearly one year ago today, Iowa field hockey met as a team one last time before life at the University of Iowa changed completely.

On March 11, 2020, the UI sent its students home and moved to an online-only model of instruction.

The UI’s original plan was to continue virtual instruction through April 3. The pause of in-person classes, however, continued through the end of the spring and summer semesters.

When the Hawkeyes returned to campus for the fall 2020 semester, the Big Ten Conference postponed all its fall sports to the spring.

Now, nearly one year removed from the UI’s initial pause of in-person instruction, Iowa field hockey will play its first game at Grant Field in Iowa City since Oct. 26, 2019.

The Hawkeyes’ last home game at Grant Field saw them defeat Northwestern, 2-1.

One thing that has not changed since 2019 is Iowa field hockey’s standard of excellence, as the Hawkeyes are off to a 4-0 start in 2020-21.

This weekend, Iowa welcomes Michigan to Iowa City. The Wolverines and Hawkeyes are the Big Ten’s only undefeated teams through two weeks of play.

“We’re so excited to be back on Grant Field because it’s an awesome surface to play on, and we get a chance to defend our home turf,” head coach Lisa Celluci said. “They’ve been so excited since we got back Sunday night. Tuesday, we had practice, and they came to Grant Field with a lot of energy and were ready to go.”

The last time Iowa and Michigan met back in 2019, the Hawkeyes narrowly edged the Wolverines, 1-0, thanks to a goal from junior midfielder Lokke Stribos.

This season, Michigan had two games postponed during its opening weekend of play, meaning the Wolverines have still only played one game in 2020-21.

According to sophomore Sophie Stribos, the Hawkeyes still can’t look past Michigan, even if the Wolverines have only played once this year.

“They know how to play together and also stay composed and they have two really good pivot players,” Stribos said.

Michigan head coach Marcia Pankratz was a Hawkeye herself. Pankratz played field hockey at Iowa from 1982 to 1985 and built an incredible legacy. She sits third on the list of all-time goal-scorers at Iowa. She was also Iowa’s female athlete of the year twice and a Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient.

Pankratz went on to become a two-time member of the United States Olympic Field Hockey team.

“[Pankratz] knows us well and Iowa City well, and our games against Michigan are always tightly-contested,” Celluci said.

This season, Iowa will play doubleheaders each weekend against Big Ten opposition. The first game of the weekend will count toward the Big Ten standings, while the second will be considered by the NCAA when postseason tournament brackets are created and at-large bids are distributed.

“No matter the score of the first game, we always tackle the second game as if nothing happened the previous game,” junior midfielder Lokke Stribos said.

Iowa’s first game against Michigan starts on Friday at 3 p.m. Both squads will meet again on Sunday at noon to finish up the weekend doubleheader.

The Daily Iowan

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