ORONO, Maine – The University of Maine field hockey team returns home for the first time this October this weekend when they welcome America East foes No. 18 Albany and Vermont to the UMaine Field Hockey Complex. Both games will be broadcasted live on ESPN 3, with an international stream available for those watching abroad.

#18 UAlbany Great Danes (5-5, 2-1 AE) at Maine Black Bears (7-3, 1-0 AE)
Friday, Oct. 6 | 3:00 p.m. | ESPN 3 | International Stream | Live Stats | @UMaineFH  
SITE: UMaine Field Hockey Complex
SERIES HISTORY: Albany, 15-9
                Current streak: Albany has won the last four meetings since the 2015 season
                Last meeting: Albany, 2-0
                First meeting: 2000, Albany 5-2

About the Maine Black Bears (7-3, 1-0 America East)

• The Black Bears will hope to use the momentum from last Sunday's come-from-behind overtime victory over UMass Lowell.
• Brianna Ricker was named the America East Offensive Player of the Week after netting two second-half goals to tie and force the game into overtime.
• With Maine's overtime victory, the Black Bears have now won four consecutive games that have been extended to an overtime period. Since 2010, Maine is 16-8 in overtime games, including six of the last seven games.
• Maine holds the sixth-best offense in the country in regards to goals-per-game, averaging 3.70 goals-per-game The Black Bears have outshot the opposition by a 199-72 margin on the season and have outscored opponents by a 37-18 total.
• With an assist against UML, Sam Wagg has now tallied a point in six-straight games.

Maine Team National Rankings

• 4^th in points per game (12.29)
• 6^th in assists per game (3.30)
• 6^th in goals per game (3.70)
• 10^th in scoring margin (1.87)
• 15^th in winning percentage (.700)
• 23^rd in penalty corners per game (6.80)
• Most goals in a game this season (8/29 Bryant 12 goals)
• 2^nd most points in a game this season (8/29 Bryant 32 points)

Maine Individual National Rankings

• Jr. M Libby Riedl
  • 5^th in assists per game (1.00)
  • 25^th in points per game (2.00)
  • 2^nd in points in a single game (8/29 Bryant 9 points)
• Jr. B Samantha Wagg
  • 20^th in points per game (2.71)
  • 20^th in assists per game (.70)

America East Conference Standings 
 

East Division	Conference	Overall
1.) Maine	1-0	7-3
2.) #18 UAlbany	2-1	5-5
3.) UMass Lowell	1-1	6-6
4.) New Hampshire	1-1	4-6
5.) Vermont	0-2	4-7

About the Albany Great Danes (5-5, 2-1 America East)

• The Great Danes enter Friday's game coming off of a 4-1 win over Vermont last Sunday, but fell in overtime to UMass Lowell last Friday.
• Three of Albany's losses on the season has come against nationally-ranked competition in #12 Boston College, #5 Syracuse, and #7 North Carolina
• Albany holds wins over nationally-ranked #16 Boston University, along with #5 Delaware.
• Katie MacCallum leads Albany with 17 points on seven goals and three assists on the season
• In goal, Mellissa Nealon has played all 761 minutes in net for the Great Danes, averaging 6.60 saves per game, while averaging 1.56 goals against.

Albany Team National Rankings

• 13^th in save percentage (.795) 
• 25^th in goals against average (1.57)

Albany Individual National Rankings

• GK Melissa Nealon
  • 11^th  in save percentage (.795)
  • 15^th  in saves per game (6.60)
  • 24^th in goals against average (1.57)

Vermont Catamounts (4-7, 0-2 America East) at the Maine Black Bears (7-3, 1-0 America East)
Sunday, October. 8 | 1:00 p.m. | ESPN 3 | International Feed | Live Stats | @UMaineFH
SITE: UMaine Field Hockey Complex, Orono, Maine
SERIES HISTORY: Maine, 27-9-1
CURRENT STREAK: Maine has won the last 11 meetings since the 1991 season, and 23 of the last 25.
 
About the Vermont Catamounts (4-7, 0-2 America East)

• The Catamounts enter Sunday's contest on a three-game losing skid, with losses against Northeastern, New Hampshire, Albany 
• Vermont and Maine have played four mutual opponents this season in Bryant, Cornell, Dartmouth and Northeastern. Maine defeated three of the four teams this year, while Vermont went 2-2 against common opponents.
•  Landon Warren is the Catamount's primary offensive attack in 2017 with 20 points on 10 goals.
• Lena Benwood has patrolled in between the pipes for the majority of the season, allowing 2.19 goals per game with 56 total saves. 

Vermont Team National Rankings

• 17^th in defensive saves (5.00)

Vermont Individual National Rankings

• Pleun Haantjes
  • 1^st in defensive saves (5.00)
• Landon Warren
  • 13^th in goals per game (.91)

Up Next

• After two home games this weekend, the Black Bears will travel to rival New Hampshire next Friday for their lone game of the weekend. Game time in Durham is set for 3:00 p.m.