BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State University field hockey (4-4, 0-1 MAC) returns home to Adcock Field to take on Longwood Thursday at 6 p.m. and Louisville Sunday at 11 a.m.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will precede Sunday's game to celebrate the team's new field house and the 50
th anniversary of women's sports at Appalachian.
About the Mountaineers
Appalachian suffered two defeats this past week. The Mountaineers opened their week against the No. 1 Tar Heels in Chapel Hill. Freshman
Roxy Day led the Black and Gold with two shots on goal, while sophomore
Veerle Van Heertum also notched a pair of shots. Appalachian also opened its conference campaign Friday at Ohio, dropping a tight 1-0 decision. Four student-athletes recorded shots. Van Heertum led the way with four shots, two of which were on net. Junior goalkeeper
Rachel Gaines made six saves – three in each half. The Mountaineers pulled Gaines with just over five minutes remaining to find the game-tying goal. Freshman
Friederike Stegen fired a shot with less than a minute remaining, but the Ohio goalkeeper denied her chance. The Black and Gold have stood strong on defense, but they have not found the back of the net in three-straight contests. Thursday's game opens a five-game home stand for the Mountaineers, which is their longest of the season.
Scouting Longwood (5-2, 1-0 MAC)
The Lancers opened their season 1-1, knocking off Bucknell in the season opener before falling to No. 7 Virginia the following game. After the 2-0 defeat in Charlottesville, Virginia, Longwood rattled off four-straight victories. On Sept. 11, the Lancers notched a 2-1 comeback victory over No. 20 Liberty, securing the program's first win over a Top-25 opponent. Longwood's winning streak came to an end Sunday with a 5-0 defeat to Rutgers. Senior Leonie Verstraete leads the Lancers with four goals and 24 shots on goal. Junior Olivia Wawrzyniak ranks second on the team with three goals. Goalkeeper Katie Wyman, a redshirt-sophomore from Havertown, Pennsylvania, has posted an impressive .800 save percentage through seven games. Wyman has also put together two shutouts against UC Davis and Central Michigan.
Scouting Louisville (6-2)
After a loss on Sept. 7 at North Carolina, the Cardinals have strung together three-straight wins against Power Five competition. Louisville defeated California, Boston College and Northwestern all by one goal each, two of which were in shutout fashion. Sunday's win against Northwestern avenged an opening round loss to the Wildcats in the 2017 NCAA Tournament. Louisville's staunch defense has allowed only 10 goals this season. Losses to Ohio State and North Carolina were the only games where the Cardinals allowed more than two goals. Junior Bethany Russ leads Louisville with three goals, while senior Katie Walsh leads the team with four assists. Senior goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran has made 24 saves and sports a .706 save percentage this season.
Series History
Longwood – Since 2003, the Mountaineers and Lancers have played 21 times with Appalachian securing its sole victory in 2014.
Taylor Cimbalist netted the game-winning goal, pushing the Black and Gold past Longwood 1-0. Appalachian and Longwood formerly played each other as Northern Pacific Field Hockey Conference opponents. The Lancers joined the MAC in 2013, while the Mountaineers joined in 2017.
Louisville – The Mountaineers are 0-8 against the Cardinals since 1999. Appalachian and Louisville last played in 2016 in Boone, where the Cardinals used a pair of second-half goals to secure a 4-1 triumph. As a freshman,
Melissa Nobile assisted Cimbalist in the first half for the Mountaineers' lone goal.
What's Next
The Mountaineers' home stand continues with another week against one MAC and one ACC opponent. The Black and Gold host Ball State on Sept. 28 at 3 p.m. and Duke on Sept. 30 at 1 p.m.
