LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University field hockey team is headed on the road this weekend for a pair of non-conference matches as part of a four-game road swing to close out the 2016 regular season.
Setting the stage:
The Bald Eagles are headed to Kent State on Saturday, October 22 for an 11:30 a.m. match and LHU takes on local-rival Bucknell Sunday (Oct. 23) at 12 p.m.
LHU split a pair of home games last week. Lock Haven opened the weekend with a dominating 5-0 victory over Colgate, but Sunday's late-game rally came up just short in an Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) loss to first-place Saint Joseph's (L, 2-1).
Lock Haven is 9-5 overall and 4-3 in A-10 action with just one conference game remaining (Oct. 28 at Massachusetts). Currently LHU sits in fifth place in the league standings. The top four teams will qualify for the A-10 Tournament.
All-time vs. Kent State & Bucknell:
Saturday will mark the 16
th all-time meeting with Kent State as the two teams meet for the first time since 2013, a 1-0 Lock Haven overtime-win. LHU is 8-6-1 all-time vs. Kent State.
Sunday marks the 47
th all-time meeting between LHU and Bucknell in a series that dates back to 1954. LHU is 36-7-3 all-time vs. its local-rival and Lock Haven won 2-1 last year.
Roach & George pace the offense:
Tamia Roach (7G & 5A) and
Lydia George (6G & 7A) each have 19 points, which ties them for the sixth-most in the A-10.
D-FENCE still a key:
During the Bald Eagles most recent run, they won four of their last five matches, and recorded three shutouts in that stretch. In all, Lock Haven's sensational defensive unit has pitched five shutouts this season.
Winning ways:
Sunday's loss to Saint Joseph's snapped a four-match win streak for Lock Haven, the Bald Eagles longest win streak of the season. LHU opened the season on a three-game win streak.
Haven seniors:
Prior to Sunday's game, the Bald Eagles honored their seven seniors:
Lydia George,
Megan Wenrich,
Colleen McCabe,
Tabatha Almond,
Stephanie Whiteman,
Paige Stuppy and student-assistant coach
Kiersten Cepeda. The senior class is responsible for 50 career wins and two A-10 semifinal appearances.
A-10 Standings:
*as of Tuesday, October 18
1. Saint Joseph's: 11-5, 6-0 A-10
2. Massachusetts: 9-6, 4-1 A-10
3. La Salle: 7-7, 4-2 A-10
4. Richmond: 6-7, 4-2 A-10
5. Lock Haven: 9-5, 4-3 A-10
6. Saint Francis: 9-7, 2-4 A-10
7. VCU: 5-9, 1-5 A-10
8. Davidson: 4-12, 1-5 A-10
9. Saint Louis: 2-10, 0-4 A-10
LHU's 2016 A-10 Players of the Week:
Paige Stuppy (9/26/16)
Alyscia Smith (10/10/16)
Up next:
Following Sunday's game at Bucknell, Lock Haven will return to action on Friday, October 28 in A-10 action at Massachusetts (2 p.m.). It marks LHU's final A-10 game of the regular season. The Bald Eagles will cap the 2016 regular season at Holy Cross on Sunday, October 29 (3:05 p.m.).
