BOSTON – A few more teams could punch their tickets to the #AEFH and #AEWSOC Tournaments this weekend, while the top four #AEMSOC teams are separated by just two points entering the halfway mark of conference play!
Women’s Soccer
Thursday
Maine (3-0-1) at UMass Lowell (1-2-1) – 6 p.m.
New Hampshire (2-1-1) at Vermont (2-2) – 6 p.m.
Bryant (2-1-2) at NJIT (1-2-1) – 7 p.m.
UMBC (0-3-2) at UAlbany (0-3-2) – 7 p.m.
Sunday
UMass Lowell (1-2-1) at UMBC (0-3-2) – 1 p.m.
Bryant (2-1-2) at Maine (3-0-1) – 1 p.m.
Vermont (2-2) at Binghamton (3-0-2) – 1 p.m.
NJIT (1-2-1) at New Hampshire (2-1-1) – 2 p.m.
At least one #WSOC program will likely clinch a tournament berth this weekend and possibly more, with seven teams playing a pair of contests this week. Maine and Binghamton continue to battle for the top spot and each will have played six games after the weekend. A surprising Bryant squad has a chance to make a move toward the top with its two games this weekend after going winless in conference play last year.
Vermont has arguably the toughest schedule of the weekend. After missing the playoffs last season, the Catamounts are 2-2 with two straight wins this year. On Thursday they host defending conference champion UNH, who is unbeaten in its past three contests while allowing a single goal. On Sunday, Vermont travels to Binghamton, looking to topple the Bearcats who are currently first in the standings.
Field Hockey
Friday
Maine (3-2) at New Hampshire (5-0) – 2 p.m.
#19 UAlbany (5-0) at #20 UMass Lowell (3-1) – 3 p.m.
Vermont (2-3) at Bryant (0-4) – 3 p.m.
Saturday
California (2-3) at UC Davis (1-4) – 4 p.m.
New Hampshire continued its best conference season since 2013 with a 1-0 victory over #20 UMass Lowell last weekend to remain tied atop the standings with UAlbany at 5-0. The two teams play next week, but the Wildcats can’t overlook a pesky Maine team on Friday, which is 3-2 and won the past two regular season championships. Vermont looks to get back to .500 in conference play at Bryant, while Cal and UC Davis face off in a contest which could have huge playoff implications for both squads.
The Great Danes, meanwhile, are on the road against #20 UMass Lowell, which had its seven-game win streak snapped last weekend and was shut out for just the second time this year. A win over undefeated UAlbany would keep the River Hawks in the hunt for the conference title and they’re anchored by Maria Oliemans, who leads the nation in save percentage (0.871) and is second in GAA (0.62). They will have to content with UAlbany’s Alison Smisdom who is ranked third in the nation in both points (2.83) and goals (1.25) per game.
Men’s Soccer
Saturday
UMass Lowell (0-3) at UAlbany (0-2-1) – 6 p.m.
#22 Vermont (2-1) at Binghamton (1-0-2) – 6:07 p.m.
#24 New Hampshire (0-0-3) at UMBC (2-0-1) – 7 p.m.
Sunday
NJIT (2-0-1) at Bryant (0-1-2) – 2 p.m.
It could be separation Saturday if the teams at the top of the #AEMSOC standings come away with points this weekend as only two points separate the top four teams. UMBC is tied for first currently with seven points and hosts UNH, who has three straight draws to open conference play. The Retrievers are 3-1-3 at home this season, while the Wildcats are ranked 24th in the nation and unbeaten on the road. They are unbeaten in their past seven games overall and have allowed just three goals over that span.
#22 Vermont looks to bounce back from a loss last weekend when the Catamounts travel to battle with Binghamton, who is unbeaten in conference play thus far. NJIT tries to keep up its best start in #AEMSOC play when the team goes to Bryant on Sunday. The Bulldogs are 10-1-2 overall and have allowed just three goals all season. UMass Lowell and UAlbany face off on Saturday, with each team looking for its first conference win.
Volleyball
Friday
NJIT (1-2) at Bryant (1-2) – 7 p.m.
Sunday
UMBC (2-1) at NJIT (1-2) – 3 p.m.
New Hampshire (1-2) at Bryant (1-2) – 4 p.m.
Binghamton (3-0) at UAlbany (1-2) – 6 p.m.
Binghamton is the lone unbeaten #AEVB program after a pair of victories last weekend. The Bearcats aim to keep rolling when they travel across the state to battle with UAlbany, who upended UMBC last Sunday. The Retrievers look to rebound from that loss when the team plays at NJIT on Sunday. NJIT travels to Bryant to open the weekend and the Bulldogs will then host New Hampshire on Sunday. The standings are a complete log jam with four teams tied at 1-2, though that should change by the end of the weekend.
Cross Country
All nine programs are in action this weekend with just two weekend until the conference championship in Orono, Maine. Seven teams are competing in the IC4/ECAC Championship held at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx on Friday morning. Saturday, UMass Lowell competes at the pre-national meeting in Virginia and Sunday is concludes with Bryant at Vermont in the Fall Foliage Invitational.
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