HOMEWARD BOUND
After four games over two weeks on the road to start the season, the Sacred Heart University field hockey team finally opens the home portion of its schedule on Friday night, when the Pioneers welcome Coastal Athletic Association member Hofstra to Johnson Field. The Pios return home at .500 and in the midst of a five-game stretch of non-conference play before the Northeast Conference schedule begins in earnest at the end of the month. It's right back on the road on Sunday, as SHU travels to meet Ivy League foe Dartmouth in the Granite State. In all, Sacred Heart will play eight of its first nine games on the road, before playing seven of its last 10 regular-season contests at home.

LAST WEEKEND
SHU picked up a pair of one-goal victories on the road last weekend, both courtesy of game-winning tallies from Amelia Pellegrini. The junior midfielder struck in the final minute of regulation on Friday, for the only goal of the game, as the Pios won at Mercyhurst, 1-0, in the NEC opener for both teams. On Sunday at Bryant, Pellegrini broke a 1-1 tie in the 33rd minute to lift SHU to a 2-1 victory over the Bulldogs. Pellegrini has now scored three collegiate goals, all of which have been game-winners. She was named NEC Player of the Week for her efforts, while Samantha Maresca collected Defensive Player of the Week accolades after stopping eight of nine shots across the weekend. Friday's win at Mercyhurst was Maresca's fourth career shutout.

SCOUTING THE PRIDE
Hofstra arrives in the Constitution State winless in three tries, though it has gotten progressively closer each time out. The Pride were whitewashed by No. 18 nationally ranked Old Dominion, 3-0, at home in their season opener on Sept. 1, before traveling to the University of Maine for a pair of games last weekend. Hofstra fell to the host Black Bears, 3-1 on Friday, and were edged by Central Michigan in double overtime, 3-2, on Saturday. Teresa Karoff has scored two of the team's three goals and has an assist as well, for five points in the early going.

PREVIOUSLY AGAINST HOFSTRA
SHU and Hofstra did not meet last year, but last crossed paths in 2022, when Hofstra posted a 3-0 win on its home field. Cami Valor provided the winner in the 14th minute, while Pieke Roos posted a four-save shutout. That was the last of three straight years where the two teams played each other: spring 2021, fall 2021 and fall 2022. Hofstra won via shutout on all three occasions.

SCOUTING THE BIG GREEN
As for Dartmouth, the Big Green are not just winless as of press time, but are also goalless as well. Dartmouth was dismissed twice on its opening weekend, suffering a 3-0 loss at home against Lafayette last Friday and falling at Massachusetts on Sunday, 6-0. The Big Green will visit Providence on Thursday before hosting SHU on Sunday.

PREVIOUSLY AGAINST DARTMOUTH
The Pios hosted Dartmouth on Oct. 15 last season, with the visiting Big Green picking up a 3-2 win via the shootout. Olivia Galiotos provided the decisive shootout score for Dartmouth. The Big Green also posted a 4-2 win over SHU at home in 2022, which was the first meeting between the two sides in six years.

UP NEXT
The Pios have just a single road game on the docket next week, but it will be in a familiar location at least. SHU will be on its usual home field, but as the road team for a non-conference contest against Yale at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 20.