Oct. 20, 2007

PROVIDENCE COLLEGE (11-6, 3-1 BIG EAST): The Providence College field hockey team faces Villanova in a BIG EAST match-up on Sunday, October 21 at 1:00 p.m. in Villanova, Pa. The Friars enter Sunday's contest with an 11-6 overall record and a 3-1 mark in the BIG EAST.

The Friars are coming off of a 2-1 league victory against Rutgers on Friday, October 19 in Piscataway, N.J. Junior Jessica Lane (South Windsor, Conn.) scored her first goal of the season in the 41st minute of play to win the game. She also recorded an assist on PC's game-tying goal in the 18th minute, marking her team-leading 13th assist of the year. Senior Michalagh Stoddard (Norwood, Mass.) netted PC's first goal of the night. Junior Meghan Holden (Worcester, Mass.) notched two assists in the win. Holden has scored at least two points in five of PC's last six games.

Providence has won three of the last four games played against Villanova, including each of the last two. The Friars are 6-1 on their opponent's home field in 2007, while Villanova has posted a 3-2 record at home this year.

Overall, Holden leads the Friars in scoring with a career-high 20 points on six goals and eight assists. Stoddard checks in at second place on the team in scoring with a career-high 18 points on six goals and six assists. Freshman Julie Ruggieri (Barrington, R.I.) ranks third on the club with 17 points, followed by Lane (15). Ruggieri owns a team-high eight goals and has recorded one assist. Lane has registered one goal and 13 assists. Sophomore Nellie Poulin (Oakland, Maine) and senior Abby Maguire (Southbury, Conn.) round out the list of double-digit scorers for Providence with 14 points and 11 points, respectively. Poulin has six goals and two assists, while Maguire owns five goals and one assist. Aside from the fact that six players have reached double figures in the scoring column, a total of eight different players have been credited with game-winning goals on the year - marking a total team effort on the offensive end.

Sophomore Rachel Chamberlain (Branford, Conn.) has played 1,132 minutes in the cage for Providence. She has made 74 saves and has allowed 21 goals for a 1.30 goals against average and a 0.779 save percentage.

Upon completion of the Providence vs. Villanova match-up, the Friars will play their final BIG EAST regular-season game against No. 6 Connecticut on Saturday, October 27. The game will be played in Storrs, Conn. at 1:00 p.m. Providence and UConn have not played one another since the 2006 BIG EAST Conference Championship Game held in Louisville, Ky. on November 5. The Huskies came away with a 4-3 victory on that day. The Friars won the previous meeting between the two teams, 2-1, on October 28 in Providence, R.I.

VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY (10-4, 3-2 BIG EAST): The Villanova Wildcats enter Sunday's game against Providence with a 10-4 overall record and a 3-2 mark in the BIG EAST Conference. Villanova started the year at 9-2, but have dropped two of their last three games. Each of the last two losses have come at the hands of BIG EAST Conference opponents, Syracuse (4-2) and Louisville (2-0). The Wildcats managed a 6-3 victory over Georgetown in between their two losses, in a game that was played on October 10.

Villanova is led offensively by Lauren Wuzzardo who has tallied 27 points on 12 goals and three assists. Stephanie Campbell also has cracked the 20-point plateau on the season with 21 points on five goals and a team-best 11 assists. Meg Ryan and Allison Boris have each recorded eight goals and two assists for 18 points. Jenn Nazarethian and Emily Donaldson each have recorded 15 points on four goals and seven assists. Ally Smith (five goals) and Sam Coveleski (two assists/six goals) round out the double-digit scorers with 10 points apiece.

Maura McCormick has played every minute in goal for Villanova this season (996 minutes). She has made 70 saves and has allowed 31 goals for a 2.18 goals against average and a 0.693 save percentage.

- GO FRIARS! -