If it’s always sunny in Philadelphia, the Massachusetts field hockey team is in for more good fortune.
Riding high on momentum after totaling three consecutive wins during a homestand that included former No. 1 Syracuse, along with matches against Saint Louis and Virginia Commonwealth, UMass (8-8) is set to tangle with Atlantic 10 conference rivals La Salle and Saint Joseph’s on Friday and Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia at 3 and 12 p.m., respectively.
During their last stretch of games at Garber Field, which marked the first time the Minutewomen have defeated a No. 1 team, the squad outscored their opposition 11-3 in its three games from Oct. 11 to Oct 14.
Heading into battles against the Explorers (7-8) and the Hawks (4-11), UMass coach Carla Tagliente’s group doesn’t plan to alter a formula that has led to three straight wins.
“Any conference game that you go and play, it’s a new day, it’s a new game and every game’s a battle,” Tagliente said. “Fortunately enough, we’ve had a tough schedule this year, having to prepare and battle every game that we’ve been in, so our mentality is no different. Both teams are coming out trying to knock us off (our game) so we’re preparing just like we would any other game.”
La Salle, which topped Saint Joseph’s 1-0 on Sunday, heads into Friday’s contest powered by junior forward Olivia Shoemaker’s team-leading 13 points and six goals. Sophomore forward Colleen Kempf and senior midfielder Neelam Kumar are other cogs in the Explorers offense, combining for 20 points on the season.
Sunday’s matinee against the Hawks, who have dropped their last two against Lock Haven and La Salle, present a challenge for UMass as sophomore Jordan Martin leads Saint Joseph’s attack with 14 points, including six goals. Following closely behind is sophomore Nicole Gerdes (12 points) and senior Meghan Githens (11).
The Minutewomen add a distinct challenge for the opposition as senior scoring-leader, Kim Young, has amassed 20 points, while Nicole Cordero and Thando Zono contributed 19 and 14 points, respectively.
Zono was also the recipient of the A-10 Athlete of the Week award for her game-winning goal against Syracuse while sophomore Lauren Allymohamed nabbed UMass Athlete of the Week honors.
“I didn’t even know until my teammates told me,” Zono said. “I can’t take credit for it, my team helped me get that, we all played together. It’s an honor and I’m pretty excited about that, but I don’t want to let it get over my head—I’m still the same player I was this weekend.”
The road trip heading into this weekend carries an extra meaning to Lafayette Hill, Pa. native freshman twins Allie and Brooke Sabia, whose family will be in attendance for their homecoming.
“We’re both really excited,” Allie Sabia said. “A lot of our friends and family are coming out for the game. I can finally see my dog.I’m on an adrenaline rush.”
Energized by recent success, Sabia said the team has confidence moving forward.
“Winning against Syracuse didn’t make us arrogant, but it helped us realize since we can beat them,” Sabia said. “We have the potential to beat any other team.”
Peter Cappiello can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @MDC_Cappiello.
