This Week: Dartmouth Opens 2016 at No. 9 Albany and Maine

GAME 1
Dartmouth Big Green (0-0) vs.
No. 9 Albany Great Danes (2-0)
Date: Saturday, Sept 3, 2015 – 1 p.m.
Location: Albany, N.Y. – Alumni Turf
All-Time Series: Tied, 1-1
Last Time: Oct. 11, 2014 – L, 3-1 (Hanover)

GAME 2
Dartmouth Big Green (0-0) vs.
Maine Black Bears (2-0)
Date: Monday, Sept. 5 – 1 p.m.
Location: Orono, Maine — UMaine Field Hockey Field
All-Time Series: Maine, 16-5
Last Time: Oct. 13, 2015 – L, 2-1 (Hanover)

THIS WEEKEND
The Dartmouth field hockey team opens the 2016 season with a pair of road games over the Labor Day Weekend. The Big Green travel to No. 9 Albany on Saturday before a Monday afternoon tilt at Maine.

AGAINST THESE TEAMS
Dartmouth last played Albany in the 2014 season, dropping a 3-1 game at home. Maine came to Hanover last season and edged out the Big Green, 2-1, thanks to the game winner coming near the end of the first half just five minutes after the Green had tied the score at one-all.

SCOUTING THE GREAT DANES AND BLACK BEARS
- Albany was ranked ninth in the preseason poll and currently hold that same spot as new polls were not released this week. Albany is now 2-0 this year thanks to a pair of home shutouts of Hofstra (4-0) and Bryant (5-0). The nine goals have been spread pretty evenly as Paula Heuser and Molly Mariano both are tied for the team lead with two each. Heuser is the NCAA's active leader in career points (194) and goals (80) and was the National Player of the Year in 2014 when she and the Great Danes played in Hanover.

- Maine is also 2-0 this season coming into the weekend with a Friday afternoon road contest against Hofstra on the docket prior to Monday's game. The Black bears have allowed just one goal in each of their first two matchups, while the offense has been electric, scoring seven times in the opener against Providence and adding six more against Sacred Heart two days later. Libby Riedl leads the team with nine points and three assists and shares the team lead in goals with Madison Cummings as both have three through two games.

CAPTAINS
It was announced back in June that junior Morgan Philie would serve as the team captain this fall. Senior goalkeeper Paige Duffy will serve as the team's assistant captain.

TOP RETURNER
Dartmouth will need to find scoring in new places this year as the top-four scorers from a season ago are not on this season's roster. Junior Anna Ewasechko is the team's top-returning player in terms of offensive production with 17 points as a sophomore last fall as the Calgary native scored four goals and added nine assists.

IN THE CAGE
The Big Green will have three viable options in goal in 2016. Duffy is back after her first season as a starter, while sophomore Hailey Valerio has a year of Division I experience as well as the spring season under her belt. Freshman Emma Plumb comes in having been a member of the US's Women's National Indoor Field Hockey Team last year and should push her teammates for playing time.

NEW FACES
In all, Dartmouth has added six new names to the roster as part of the Class of 2020. The class is made up of two forwards, a defender, a midfielder, a goalkeeper and another who can play in both the backfield and midfield. Carmen Braceras, Maddie Donahue, Katie Persin, Katie Spanos, Jocelyn Wulf and Plumb are not only the newest faces on the roster, but now comprise the biggest of the team's four classes.

STAFF? ALL THE SAME
Head coach Amy Fowler is back for her 17th season, looking to add to her program-record 134 career wins. Pattie Gillern begins her fifth year on the sidelines and was promoted from assistant to associate head coach this summer. Maddy Carpenter is back for her second season as the team's assistant.

FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can follow all the action on Twitter via the team's account (@DartmouthFH), while all home games and Ivy League road games will be carried live on the Ivy League Digital Network.

Schedules