BOONE, N.C. — The App State field hockey team looks to remain in the win column in the Northeast, first taking on MAC opponent No. 5 UMass on Friday at 4 p.m. before facing Vermont in nonconference action Sunday at 11 a.m.
The Mountaineers (6-5, 2-2 MAC) are coming off a 2-0 shutout over the Ball State Cardinals, with
Chloe Hook scoring the game-winning goal in the third period.
Senior goalkeeper
Dakota Anderson remained stout in goal, recording her fourth double-digit save performance and fourth shutout of the season with 13 saves in the win.
Friday's Matchup
- Who: App State at No. 5 UMass
- Where: Gladchuk Field Hockey Complex // Amherst, Mass.
- When: Friday, Oct. 9, 4 p.m.
Sunday's Matchup
- Who: App State at Vermont
- Where: Moulton Winder Field // Burlington, Vt.
- When: Sunday, Oct. 11, 11 a.m.
Scouting the Mountaineers
The Mountaineers have been stout defensively outside of contests against ranked opponents, allowing only six goals through those eight games while posting four shutouts, most recently against Ball State in Boone. Anchoring that defensive unit is two-time MAC Goalkeeper of the Week Anderson, who leads the MAC in save percentage (.804) and ranks ninth nationally in the category.
Newcomers have made a major impact on scoring for the Mountaineers, with freshman
Chloe Hook leading the team with six goals this season. Michigan State transfer
Brynn Shaffer trails Hook with four goals, with both Hook and Shaffer finding the back of the cage Friday against Ball State.
The Mountaineers retain key returners from the 2025 squad, led by four-time 2025 Defensive Player of the Week
Sophia Baxter, along with fellow team captains
Kassie Paul and
Calista Schwartz, a Vancouver, British Columbia, native and member of the FIH Junior World Cup roster.
App State has added impactful transfers to its 2026 roster, highlighted by Canadian National Team player and Vancouver native
Rylie Novak, who transferred from Iowa. Senior
Madie Baker, who saw action at Liberty, joins the team along with Shaffer, who appeared in 15 games last season while tying for third in goals, assists and points for the Spartans. Hailing from Santa Rosa, Argentina, is
Amparo Figueroa, a junior forward transfer from Converse University who earned 2025 First-Team All-SAC honors after leading her team in goals (12), points (30), shots on goal (47) and game-winning goals (3) while finishing second with six assists.
The Mountaineers have also added five freshmen, headlined by sisters
Chloe Hook and
Morgan Hook, who both had standout careers at Penn Manor High School in Millersville, Pennsylvania. Joining them in the freshman class is fellow Pennsylvania native
Reagan Bailey from Dallastown Area High School, where she was named Offensive Player of the Year. The final two newcomers are
Jackie Kerner from Crofton, Maryland, where she won multiple state titles, and
Mai Hattori from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Scouting the Minutewomen
No. 5 UMass enters the matchup 11-1 (4-0 MAC) after suffering its first loss of the season against No. 7 UConn, 2-1 in a shootout. In their four conference matchups, the Minutewomen have shut out Ohio 6-0, Kent State 7-0 and Central Michigan 3-0 while defeating No. 14 Miami (Ohio) 3-2 at home. UMass has taken down multiple ranked nonconference opponents, opening its season with a 3-2 win over No. 8 Liberty and a top-three win against No. 3 Harvard, winning 3-1 on the road. UMass had a MAC-leading six players earn spots on the NFHCA Division I Watchlist, highlighted by Elani Sherwood and Emily Barrett, who both earned All-MAC Second Team honors in 2025. UMass is led by head coach Barb Weinberg, who is in her 10th year at the helm.
Scouting the Catamounts
Vermont enters the matchup 8-2 (0-1 America East) after an 8-0 win over Queens on Sunday. The Catamounts' two losses came against No. 8 Michigan, 4-1, and America East foe New Hampshire, 1-0. Vermont was picked to win the conference in the preseason, with multiple players earning preseason all-conference honors, highlighted by Alicia Battistelli, who was First Team All-America East in 2025. The Catamounts are led by head coach Kate Pfeifer, who is in her 13th season leading the program.
Series History
- vs. UMass: This marks the third all-time matchup between the Mountaineers and the Minutewomen, with App State trailing 0-2 in the series. Both games came in 2025, one in the regular season and the other in the postseason. The Mountaineers were shut out in the regular-season matchup before falling 4-1 in the postseason.
- vs. Vermont: Sunday's matchup marks the third all-time matchup between the Mountaineers and the Catamounts, with App State winning both prior meetings. The most recent came in 2025, when the Mountaineers beat Vermont 7-1 in the High Country. Frederique Grimbergen scored a hat trick, and Baxter recorded a goal and an assist.
Up Next
The Mountaineers will return to the High Country to resume conference play against Central Michigan on Oct. 16 at 6 p.m.
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