Field hockey ready to return to MAAC Championships with 2015 schedule release

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University field hockey team and head coach Shaunessy Saucier are pleased to officially announce its 2015 regular season schedule, a slate that kicks off in The Golden State on Friday, Aug. 28.

The Bulldogs will look to improve upon a trying 2014 season in which they finished 4-13 amid four overtime heartbreakers and multiple injuries. However, the emergence of some young talent down the stretch bodes well for the Black and Gold heading into the 2015 campaign.

"We are looking forward to a very challenging schedule," said Sauicer, who enters her seventh season at the helm of the Bryant field hockey program. "And we are excited to host the most home games we've ever had at the Division I level.

"We have very high expectations for the seven incoming freshmen, who added to a strong group of returners that continued to improve during the spring season, will certainly make for an exciting 2015 season."

Bryant will kick the new year off with a West Coast swing, opening the season at Pacific on Friday, Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. EST. Following the clash with the Tigers, the Bulldogs will battle California on Aug. 30 (4 p.m. EST) before wrapping the road trip up vs. UC Davis on Aug. 31 (3 p.m. EST). From there, the Black and Gold will open the home portion of their schedule vs. Colgate on Saturday, Sept. 5 (12 p.m.) at the Bryant Turf Complex.

"With Fairfield as newcomers to the MAAC, it will be an even more competitive conference lineup," added Saucier. "Our August and September opponents from the Ivy League and America East should have us fully prepared to peak in October and get us back to the MAAC Championships."

After the one game homestand, Bryant opens a stretch of four-straight Ivy League opponents, visiting Harvard (Sept. 7) and Brown (Sept. 12), before a quick pitstop back in Smithfield to host Yale on Friday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs wrap up the Ivy run at Dartmouth on Sunday, Sept. 20 in Hanover, N.H.

The following weekend, the Black and Gold host a pair of America East opponents in Providence, R.I., battling Vermont on Friday, Sept. 25 before facing off with Maine on Saturday.

Bryant makes the quick trip up to Worcester, Mass., for its annual showdown vs. Holy Cross on Oct. 2, and one week later open's MAAC play at Quinnipiac on Friday, Oct. 9 at 3:30 p.m. From there, The Black and Gold head to New York, N.Y., for their fifth and final Ivy League opponent in Columbia on Oct. 11 before a pair of MAAC contests the following weekend at Siena (Oct. 16) and vs. Sacred Heart (Oct. 18).

The Bulldogs continue MAAC play vs. new member Fairfield (Oct. 23) and wrap up non-conference play vs. La Salle on Oct. 25. The Black and Gold close out the regular season at home with a pair of league opponents over Halloween weekend, hosting Rider on Friday (Oct. 30) and defending champion Monmouth on Sunday (Nov. 1).

The 2015 MAAC Tournament will be held from Friday, Nov. 6 – Sunday, Nov. 8 at the highest seeded MAAC full member.