After sweeping its latest three-game road trip, the 10th-ranked Massachusetts field hockey team returns to Garber Field for a pivotal four-game stretch, beginning this Friday against Atlantic 10 opponent La Salle.
The Minutewomen (10-4, 1-0 A-10) are coming off their first conference win of the season, destroying Saint Louis 11-0 on the road. The three wins on the road were important for UMass, but coach Carla Tagliente knows how important it is to win games at home, especially in conference play.
“Starting off the home stretch with four straight A-10 opponents is a great opportunity for us to set the tone in our conference and to see where we fall within the other teams in our conference,” Tagliente said. “I would like to see improvement on the things we’ve been working on over the past few weeks, which will hopefully result in more victories.”
Tagliente hopes her team will continue to build momentum going forward, and that they will remain focused.
“We talk about performance and individual preparation every day in terms of making our team better as we move forward,” she said. “We’re in a critical part of the year in that this isn’t time for our players to rest and relax, as we are in a phase where we are gearing up not only for the A-10 championships, but for the NCAA Tournament as well. We continue to put a heavy emphasis on the importance of coming to practice every day ready to play and making the team better.”
This game also marks the return of sisters Brooke and Allie Sabia for the Minutewomen, who were suspended for two games after violating a team rule. Brooke continues to lead the team in points with 22, while seniors Hannah Prince and Alexa Sikalis are tied for second with 14 points.
Tagliente believes it will be critical for her team to get off to a fast start against the Explorers (4-9, 0-1 A-10) and to stay focused the entire way.
“I think focusing on how we want to play and executing our gameplan is vital,” she said. “Getting back at home always feels good after a three-game road trip, but limiting distractions is very important in terms of players seeing family and friends and making sure they keep their focus on the game.
“I think it is going to be really important for us to go out, set the tone and get on the board early, and make sure we execute what we are trying to do.”
La Salle comes into the contest after losing its last two games, including a 3-1 loss to Saint Joseph’s, which will visit Amherst on Sunday. The Explorers rely offensively on senior Olivia Shoemaker, who leads the team with 21 points.
UMass has dominated La Salle in its 18 previous meetings, winning 17 of them, including a 4-1 victory last year in Philadelphia.
Friday’s A-10 contest is set to begin at 3:30 p.m. at Garber Field.
Jason Kates can be reached at [email protected].
