After an upsetting loss against Albany on Saturday at Albany, the field hockey team is determined to avenge their last year’s game against Boston University this Saturday.

Fairfield, who is ranked 57th in the nation, lost to Albany, ranked 20th in the nation, 7-1 with an unassisted goal by sophomore, Marit Westenberg.  It was the field hockey team’s first conference game of the season.  Overall the Stags have a 4-7 record, but still have six games left to better their record.

Boston University, who is ranked 32nd in the nation, according to fieldhockeycorner.com, will faceoff against Fairfield in Fairfield’s second conference game this Saturday.  In order to make the American East tournament, the Stags need to win three out of their five conference games.

“It has been a big goal of ours for the past three years,” said junior and center back Anne Nieuwenhuis, “and this year it really feels like we can get there.”

Last year the Field Hockey team lost to BU 3-2.  After leading with two goals in the first half, Boston University took the game from Fairfield, scoring two goals in the second half and then scoring the final goal on a corner in the last play of the game after time had run out.

Despite the loss, the members of the Stags field hockey team are more determined than ever. To make sure BU is a victory for the Stags, the Field Hockey team is working hard and preparing to win.

“We have an entire week of practice and we’ll be focusing on improving our presses, passing patterns, our shot to goal percentage, and trying out new playing systems,“ said Nieuwenhuis.

The game against Boston University will take place this Saturday at 1 p.m.  The game, which is a SAAC (Student Athlete Advisory Committee) event, is part of the reason the field hockey team is even more excited.

Every sports team is allowed to pick one game they would like sanctioned as a SAAC event.  This is a game that they want all the other sports teams to come and watch.  The Fairfield field hockey team picked their game against Boston University because they know it will be a great game and want to have the stands packed as they pursue their revenge for last year’s loss.

“When we have a lot of people there supporting us, we always do better,” said Nieuwenhuis.

In order to lock down their win against BU, the Stags are making changes from last weekend and are looking to improve their focus during warm-up, quicker touches and better executed adjustments on the fly.

“I think if we play our game, we can win, but all of us have to give everything and we have to work together. It takes all of us,” said junior midfielder Michelle Onofrio.

“Yes, we definitely can,” said Nieuwenhuis, “We’re convinced we can do this.”

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