GAME OVERVIEW
• After winning the NCAA Division II Championship in 2014, the Marauders saw their 2015 end tragically in the 99
th minute of an OT loss to PSAC rival West Chester in the national quarterfinals. The 2016 Marauders are ranked second in the country in the NFHCA preseason poll. Coach
Shelly Behrens and the team's first test of the year comes against the Newberry Wolves. In the previous season, Newberry had a record of 3-15, including a 4-0 loss against Millersville.
• For eight players on the team, this will be their final home-opener. After losing only four seniors last season, Millersville now boasts eight seniors including Synapse Sports Defensive Player of the Year
Taylor Parker and NFHCA First Team All-American
Olivia Hershey. If there was ever a collegiate version of the Steel Curtain, it would be the defense and goaltending of the Marauders. Sam Rumler returns for her senior season at Goalkeeper, after a historic season last year, allowing a goals against average of merely .316, the third lowest in the history of NCAA Division II field hockey. The team allowed only 10 goals in 21 games in the 2015 season, the lowest in program history.
• As is the case with any opening day, this will be the first game for several freshmen.
Jordan Goddard,
Erica Tarsi,
Keeley White, Lexi Robinson and
Kyra Brakefield all will be hoping to make an appearance Saturday. A spark from the class of 2016 could be a pivotal step for this year's team. Tarsi and Brakefield amassed a combined 95 goals in high school. Look for this year's freshman class to not only compete for playing time but also make an impact right away, especially on the offensive end.Â
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ABOUT THE SERIES
• Newberry is only in its fourth season as a field hockey team, and the Marauders have made that perfectly clear over the past few seasons. Last season's 4-0 win was by far the closest matchup between the two teams. In the previous years, Millersville routed Newberry 9-0 each time. The 2014 matchup saw Millersville outshoot Newberry 39-4, and when it came to shots on goal, Millersville led 27-2.
THE LAST MEETING
• In the 2015 meeting between these teams, Newberry kept the score close for a while, eventually losing 4-0, but only allowing 14 shots on goal, an improvement from prior games against Millersville. Aliza Mizak scored two goals in the game and Jessica Beard enjoyed her first goal of the season. Sam Rumler and the defense will look to keep the shutout streak alive against Newberry, which is yet to score in the three games with Millersville.
DEFENSIVE PRESENCE
•  After a record-breaking defensive season last year, Parker and the defense will hope to keep up the strong back line in 2016. Millersville has a tradition of a superior defense, touting the defensive player of the year winner for the past three seasons in a row. Aubrey Hartman will be another player to watch for this year, as she had no problem stepping in a providing quality playing time as a freshman in 2016. Rumler led the NCAA in goals against average by nearly 0.5.
