The No. 17-ranked Massachusetts field hockey team enters a weekend with James Madison and Appalachian State on its schedule. UMass (11-2, 4-1 Mid-American) has only one in-conference loss this season, coming at the hands of Ohio on Sept. 26. Since then, the Minutewomen have beat three consecutive MAC teams.
UMass’ first opponents will be the Dukes (8-6, 3-2 MAC) who are riding a two-game losing streak. Both of their losses came against ranked opponents: No. 8 Duke and No. 18 Miami (OH), the latter a fellow MAC team. The Minutewomen are the sixth ranked opponents James Madison faces this season.
Sophomore Madelief Molier leads the Dukes on offense. The Netherlands native leads James Madison with 12 goals, which puts her in the top four of the conference. Fellow Dutchwoman Alice Roeper trails right behind her with 10 goals, and also leads her team in assists with five. Despite taking nearly half as many shots as Roeper, Molier is the top scorer and the most dangerous offensive threat for the Dukes.
Another player who UMass will have to watch out for is Skyler Brown. The midfielder may not have put up as many shots or goals as Molier or Roeper, but her three game-winning goals put her in a tie for the most in the MAC. Before a two-game scoring drought, the senior scored five goals in eight games.
In net, James Madison has Molly Schreiner. During her second year as the starter, the redshirt sophomore has allowed 2.12 goals per game which ranks third in the conference. She has allowed six goals in the past two games, facing 15 shots.
The game will be hosted by the Dukes with a ‘Pink Out’ crowd. The last time these teams faced off was in 2009 where the Minutewomen prevailed 1-0.
Two days later, UMass face the Appalachian State (10-3, 4-1 MAC). The Mountaineers has an identical conference record with the Minutewomen as the two will battle for the coveted top spot in the conference as the regular season nears an end.
Their lone conference loss was a blowout against the RedHawks, losing 7-0 at home. The Mountaineers followed up that loss with another, falling to No. 6Liberty. Currently, Appalachian State rides a two-game winning streak.
The Mountaineers offense is led by two veterans, senior Lise Boekaar and junior Sophia Baxter. Both players have scored 10 goals on the season, but Boekaar has been one of the best playmakers in the country, coming into the weekend as the Division I leader in assists. The Netherlands native has racked up 18 assists so far, surpassing her previous three seasons combined.
Although Boakaar’s stardom is clear, Kate Richardson has started to figure things out. The senior has scored three goals in the past two games, helping Appalachian State to back-to-back wins. Despite only having six goals on the season, the Maine transfer has displayed the ability to put the ball in the back of the net recently.
Keeper Claire Grenis leads the last line of defense for the Mountaineers. Though she has the least amount of saves among starting MAC goalies, the graduate student has allowed just one goal in the past two games, including her second shutout on the season. In her second year as a full-time starter, Grenis is coming off a great campaign last year but hasn’t shown the same dominance yet this season.
Appalachian State ranks second in the conference in scoring, averaging over 3.8 goals per game. Playing their fourth ranked team on the season, the Mountaineers boast experience against strong opponents.
UMass is coming off its most lopsided shutout of the season, beating Longwood 5-0. Emily Barrett recorded her third brace of the season as the star freshman increased her goal total to seven, leading the Minutewomen.
Meanwhile, netminder Myrte Van Herwijnen continues to shine. The three-time MAC Goalkeeper of the Week enters the weekend in the national top five of save percentage, goals against average and total minutes played. The senior also leads the MAC with six shutouts on the season, the most recent one against the Lancers.
On Friday, Oct. 17, UMass faces the Dukes at 2 p.m. The game will be played in Harrisburg, VA. Then, the Minutewomen make the trek to Boone, North Carolina to play Appalachian State at 12 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19. Both games will be available to watch on ESPN+.
Maxwell Solomon can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @Maxwell697909.
