LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University field hockey team is set to open the 2021 season and the Bald Eagles will do so at home on Friday, September 3 vs. Ball State. The non-conference contest is set for a 3 p.m. start.
 
Opening weekend:
LHU will open the season at home on Friday (Sept. 3) vs. Ball State. The game is set for a 3 p.m. start and is one of eight scheduled home games this fall. The Bald Eagles will get their first road test on Sunday (Sept. 5) at Colgate (12 p.m.). Live coverage links for opening-weekend action can be found on the field hockey schedule page at GoLHU.com.
 
2021 schedule notes:
Friday's season-opener comes at home and, in all, LHU will play eight home games during the 2021 fall season. Last year, Lock Haven was 2-1 at home in the special, but shortened spring 2021 semester season. Back in 2019, Lock Haven was 6-4 on the home turf.
 
In all, LHU is scheduled to play 16 regular season games during the 2021 season. Lock Haven's first road test will come on Sunday at Colgate and the Bald Eagles first Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) contest comes five games in on September 17 at home vs. VCU. As the schedule sits today, the Bald Eagles will close the 2021 fall season with a four-game homestand from October 15 to October 30 vs. Richmond, Sacred Heart, Davidson and Massachusetts. The full 2021 LHU field hockey schedule is available at GoLHU.com.
 
Preseason poll:
On August 23, the Atlantic 10 Conference announced the 2021 preseason coaches' poll and Lock Haven was picked fifth of eight in the preseason coaches' poll. VCU, the 2020-21 A-10 champions, received five of eight first-place votes and earned the distinction of the preseason favorite. Perennial powers Saint Joseph's and Massachusetts rounded out the top-three. Saint Joseph's earned one first-place vote and earned the No. 2 spot in the rankings with 53 points. UMass grabbed two first-place votes and 50 total points in the poll, which pushed the Minutewomen into the No. 3 spot. Richmond checked in at No. 4, one spot ahead of Lock Haven as the Bald Eagles enter the season ranked fifth in the A-10 preseason poll. Davidson, La Salle and Saint Louis rounded out the rankings.
 
What a spring it was:
Although it looked much different and was shorter than a normal fall season, Lock Haven and the Atlantic 10 held a 2020-21 field hockey season last year, which was conducted in the spring. It concluded with the Atlantic 10 tournament being held in late-April. Despite the timing, light schedule and new look, the 2020-21 season treated the Bald Eagles well. Lock Haven certainly made the most of the special 2020-21 season and took full advantage of the spring field hockey. Highlighting the campaign was a conference playoff berth.
 
Back in July (2020), the Atlantic 10 Conference announced the postponement of all scheduled fall contests in conference-sponsored sports and A-10 championships due to the continuing COVID-19 global pandemic. That announcement included field hockey, but part of the announcement also included the league's intentions to conduct a competitive schedule for fall sports during the 2021 spring semester and they did just that.
 
During the unique 2021 spring season, Lock Haven played five regular-season games – all vs. A-10 opponents. LHU went 4-1 and picked up a pair of wins over nationally-ranked conference powers. When the Bald Eagles topped Massachusetts back on March 25, UMass was ranked No. 20 nationally and Lock Haven knocked off then-ranked No. 19 Saint Joseph's on April 10. LHU's only loss came on April 3, when Massachusetts slipped by Lock Haven, 2-1 in overtime in the two teams' second meeting of the 2021 spring season. Lock Haven's 4-1 record regular-season - with wins over Massachusetts and Saint Joseph's - led the Bald Eagles to the 2020-21 A-10 North Division regular season title and No. 2 seed for the 2020-21 tournament. Overall, LHU finished the 2020-21 season 4-2 after falling to Saint Joseph's in the A-10 semifinals, 4-2.
 
Atlantic 10 tournament history:
The 2020-21 Atlantic 10 Tournament appearance marked Lock Haven's second straight season where the Bald Eagles reached the conference tournament. LHU's 2019 A-10 semifinal appearance marked Lock Haven's first A-10 tournament appearance since 2014. Since joining the A-10 as an affiliate member in 2010, Lock Haven has qualified for the A-10's postseason tournament five times.
 
Palma leads the way, named to preseason All-Conference team:
On August 23, standout Jazmin Palma was named to the 2021 Preseason All-Conference team. She earned All-Conference honors in the spring after being named to the 2020-21 First Team. Back in 2019, she also earned First Team recognition to go along with her 2019 A-10 Rookie of the Year honor.
 
All-Conference leadership returns:
Last year, standout-goalkeeper Joaquina Orlandini joined Palma on the 2020-21 A-10 First Team. Both Martina Spagenberg and Anna May Barbusca enjoyed brilliant rookie campaigns last season. Spagenberg earned All-Conference Second Team honors and both players were named to A-10's All-Rookie squad. Orlandini was also an All-Conference pick following the 2019 season.
 
Stat leaders:
Last year – six games during the 2020-21 season – Martina Spangenberg led LHU with three goals and Amy Stevens added two goals and an assist. Palma scored twice for Lock Haven.
 
Back in 2019, Stevens – a top all-around returning talent – scored six goals and added two assists (14 pts.). Palma led Lock Haven with 16 points in her brilliant 2019-rookie season (5G, 6A).
 
Last spring Orlandini was 4-2 with 25 saves, a 1.35 goals-against-average and a .735 save-percentage. In 2019, Orlandini won 10 games in the cage, including eight by way of shutout.
 
Newcomers in the spotlight:
The Bald Eagles have some serous talent returning (13 total returners) all over the roster, but the team will also look to a large group of newcomers to make an impact on the program. The 2021 roster includes 14 freshmen.
 
The large group of talented freshmen includes:
Kayla Maciejewski (Oley, Pa./Oley Valley)
Alyssa Endrick (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks South)
Jasmine Miller (Lancaster, Pa./Penn Manor)
Bella DiNardo (Hopewell, N.J./Hopewell Valley Central)
Constanza Lopez Zabala (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Colegio Martin y Omar)
Morgan Becker (West Chester, Pa./Bayard Rustin)
Brooke Hofsass (Hershey, Pa./Lower Dauphin)
Alexis Kern (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Township)
Nailah Green (Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville)
Mackenzie Reese (Center Valley, Pa./Southern Leigh)
Deana Campbell (Southampton, Pa./Archbishop Wood)
Zhao Rodrigo (Valencia, Spain/Colegio San Bartoleme)
Halie Woodring (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin)
Kelsey Felix (Hollam, Pa./Eastern York)
 
Back in 2019:
Back in 2019, under more normal circumstances, Lock Haven capped an all-around impressive season with an 11-8 overall record. The Bald Eagles went 11-7 during the regular season and finished at 6-2 in Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) play. During the regular season, Lock Haven recorded conference wins over Davidson, Richmond, La Salle, Virginia Commonwealth, Saint Louis and Saint Francis. By way of the 6-2 Atlantic 10 record, LHU advanced to the conference tournament. The Bald Eagles finished the regular season on a roll, concluding the season with a four-game win streak. All four wins came by way of shutout-victories, as Lock Haven outscored its opponents 11-0 in the final four games. In all, LHU won seven of its final eight games during the regular season, which included A-10 wins over La Salle, Virginia Commonwealth, Saint Louis and Saint Francis.
 
Hall of Fame head coach:
Hall of Fame head coach Pat Rudy enters the 2021 season with 617 total career collegiate coaching victories, including 371 at LHU, her alma mater. Rudy ranks among the all-time leaders regardless of NCAA division in career coaching victories. A 2018 National Field Hockey Coaches' Association (NFHCA) Hall of Fame inductee, Coach Rudy collected her 600^th career coaching victory during the 2018 season.
 
Celebrating an anniversary:
The 2020-21 season also allowed Lock Haven to celebrate a milestone anniversary as it marked the 75th anniversary of the first field hockey season back in 1945-46. In LHU's rich history, which is filled with tremendous on-field field hockey success, the Bald Eagles have claimed 70 winning seasons, 15 conference championships and seven national titles, among many other top honors.
 
Up next:
Following Sunday's (Sept. 5) game at Colgate, LHU will head to Saint Francis for a 6 p.m. contest on Friday, September 10. It will mark Lock Haven's second straight road match.