BOONE, N.C. - App State field hockey will open the spring season Saturday at Davidson after the MAC's postponement of the fall campaign due to COVID-19.
The matchup will be played at Carol Grotnes Belk Turf Field in Davidson, North Carolina, and is scheduled for a 11 a.m. start. The Mountaineer-Wildcat duel will be aired on ESPN+.
"It's been over a year since our team has taken the field against an outside opponent," head coach
Meghan Dawson said. "We are so excited to get out there and compete together. We've used this time to change our mindset to taking advantage of everyday and every opportunity that we get"
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS:
Starting with Davidson, the 2021 spring slate for App State consists of 12 conference matches and four non-conference opponents. Of the 16 events, nine are home. Five of the nine home events are scheduled for the month of March.
The top four leading scorers from the 2019 double-digit win season (11-9), which consisted of a semifinal appearance in the MAC tournament, returned to the High Country. Verrle Van Heertum (7),
Meghan Smart, (7)
Rachel Fleig (4) and
Anna Smarrelli (3) led the way in the scoring department.Â
Smarrelli scored two goals and Fleig added one in the last meeting versus Davidson on Sept. 8, 2019. App State holds a three-game win streak over the Wildcats dating back to 2017, but Davidson holds a 15-8-1 all-time series lead over the Mountaineers.
App State will also have to replace 2019 senior goalkeeper Rachel Gains. Gains ranked sixth all-time in school history in career saves with 468. A deep and steady rotation off the bench will prove vital in the Mountaineer's quest for back-to-back winning seasons since 1997-98.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS:
Davidson enters play with a 0-1 record on the season after dropping a season-opening matchup versus Liberty 3-1 on Feb. 14.Â
Freshman Lena Stiebing notched the Wildcats' lone goal against the Flames in the fourth.
In 2019, the Wildcats posted a 3-16 overall record and 1-7 in Atlantic 10 play. This season, the Wildcats are led by five seniors, McGee Roman, Nellie Turnage, Valerie Hajek, Catitlyn Gund and Corynne Hammit. Roman accounted for 11 total points during the 2019 campaign.
AFTER DAVIDSON:
App State will host MAC conference foe Ball State for a two-game home series starting Friday, March 12 at noon. Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday, March 13. Saturday is also a noon start at Brandon & Erica M. Adcock Field.
