Bryant hosts Hofstra and No. 20 Albany in home opener weekend

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Friday, Sept. 20 marks the home opener for the Bryant University field hockey team as they host Hofstra before hosting No. 20 Albany on Sunday.

THE PARTICULARS
Opponent: Hofstra
Date: Friday, Sept. 20
Location: Goldberger Family Field (Brown University - Providence, R.I.)
Game Time: 4 p.m.
Live Stats: Presto Stats
Live Stream: NEC Front Row

SERIES HISTORY

• The two teams are tied at one win apiece meeting just twice in program history.
• Last season, the Bulldogs squeaked a 1-0 win past the Pride with the lone goal coming from senior Clare Luttrell (Freehold, N.J.).

A BIT ABOUT THE PRIDE

• Hofstra posts an overall record of 2-4 after winning its last two games against Sacred Heart, 3-1, and Quinnipiac, 3-2.
• Sophomore Cami Larsson leads the team with two goals, one assist, and five points on the year. Larrson also leads the team with 14 shots and six on frame.
• Freshman Merlijn van der Vegt is the primary goalkeeper for the pride leading the Colonial Athletic Conference with 8.50 saves per game. van der Vegt's .773 save percentage ranks second in the CCA.
• Courtney Veinotte leads the Pride in her first season as head coach after spending the last two as the associate head field hockey coach.

THE PARTICULARS
Opponent: No. 20 Albany
Date: Sunday, Sept. 22
Location: Goldberger Family Field (Brown University – Providence, R.I.)
Game Time: 3 p.m.
Live Stats: Presto Stats 
Live Stream: NEC Front Row

SERIES HISTORY

• Bryant has yet to top Albany as the Great Danes hold the all-time series record, 5-0.
• Last year Albany blanked the Bulldogs, 2-0.

A BIT ABOUT THE GREAT DANES

• Albany ranks 20th in the country posting a 3-3 overall record before they meet with Brown the day before they take on the Bulldogs. The Great Danes' three losses all come from top ranked teams including No. 16 Delaware, No. 6 Harvard, and No. 5 Princeton. Most recently, Albany topped UMass, 2-1, and Colgate, 4-0.
• Dana Bozek is the primary goal scorer for the Great Danes posting six goals and two assists on the year. Bozek averages 1.40 points per game ranking eighth in the America East and 15 in the country.
• Melissa Nealon played and started in all six games in between the posts. Nealon tallied 26 saves this season with a save percentage of .765.
• Phil Sykes leads Albany in his 15th season as head coach.

BRYANT NOTES AND NOTABLES

• Junior Aisling Madden (Leeds, Yorkshire, England) leads the Bulldogs with seven shots and two on frame.
• Freshman Isa Oldekamp (Rotterdam, Netherlands) and Luttrell lead Bryant with three shots on goal.
• Oldekamp also leads the Black and Gold with two defensive saves on the season. The rookie's defensive save efforts rank the Bulldogs third in the Northeast Conference and 11th in the country in that category.
• Sophomore goalkeeper Marijn Jaarsma (Uithoorn, Netherlands) ranks third in the NEC with six saves per game.