Minutewomen Host VCU for an Atlantic 10 Semifinals Rematch

University of Massachusetts Field Hockey Notes & Information
Matchup	Massachusetts vs VCU
Date \| Time	Friday, Sept. 20 \| 3 p.m. ET
Location	Amherst, Mass. \| Gladchuk Field Hockey Complex
Twitter	@UMassFH
Instagram	UMass Field Hockey
Facebook	UMass Field Hockey

AMHERST, Mass. - UMass continues it's three-game homestand as it challenges VCU for the first time since the 2023 Atlantic 10 semifinals on Friday, Sept. 20 at 3 p.m. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and can be followed live on umassathletics.com or UMassFH on Twitter.

This week for the Minutewomen

series history

Friday's match-up marks the 17th meeting between UMass and Virginia Commonwealth University, the Minutewomen hold a 11-6-0 record all-time in the series.
The two opponents faced each other last season, meeting in the Atlantic 10 Semifinals as UMass claimed a 3-2 victory in overtime at Cary Street Field in Richmond, Virginia.

Weekend Snippets

Grad student Claire Danahy earned Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Week honors on Monday after scoring three goals over the weekend.
Freshman Elani Sherwood's hot streak continued having scored in four straight games while leading the team with 12 points this season.
Goalkeeper Myrtle Van Herwijnen recorded a season high 11 saves against Boston Univeristy at New Balance Field.
UMass claimed its 10th Kennedy Cup in dramatic fashion overcoming a two-goal deficit in the final minute of regulation. Eventually clinching the win with a goal from Grad Student Claire Danahy just 3:04 into the OT period.

Preseason Prowess

The Minutewomen come into the 2024 season with multiple preseason honors including four athletes being named to the NFHCA Division I Watch List.
Hannah de Gast, Myrte van Herwijnen, Claire Danahy and Dempsey Campbell were each named to the watch after stellar 2023 seasons.
Danahy and van Herwijnen earn selection to the list in back-to-back years, while de Gast and Campbell each received their debut place on the watch list.
Van Herwijnen and de Gast also received selection to the Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conferece Team after being named the 2023 A-10 Goalkeeper and Defensive Player of The Year respectively last season.

veteran Presence

UMass returns 18 athletes from their 2023 squad which finished with a 13-7 record, including an impressive 5-2 mark in Atlantic 10 play.
Massachusetts boasts five returning players, Hannah de Gast, Myrte van Herwijnen, Claire Danahy, Dempsey Campbell and Megan Carpenter, who earned A-10 Postseason Conference honors in 2023.
De Gast and van Herwijnen were each named to the Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference Team entering the 2024 campaign.
De Gast, a 2023 NFHCA First-Team All-Region honoree, sat fifth on the team in points (12) and third in assists (4) last season. The Zeist, The Netherlands native was a key part of a Massachusetts defensive unit which stood top-25 in the nation in GAA (1.35), top-20 in defensive saves (5) and recorded five shutout victories including the final three games of the regular season.
Van Herwijnen looks poised to be one of the top goalkeepers in the country after earning A-10 Goalkeeper of The Year honors a season ago. The Zeist, Netherlands native led the A-10 and ranked no. 3 nationally in save percentage (.813). The goalkeeper also topped the A-10 and ranked no. 12 nationally in saves per game (6.13) while recording three double-digit save performances.
Campbell led the Minutewomen with nine goals across 20 games last season. The Saunderstown, Rhode Island ended the season on a hot streak, recording one of top individual performances of last season, Campbell scored two second half goals to help secure 3-2 overtime victory over VCU in the A-10 semifinal.

Home Turf Advantage

Over the last four seasons Massachusetts holds a stellar 31-8 record at Gladchuk Field Hockey Complex.
The Minutewomen have outscored opponents 99-52 in Amherst during that span.
UMass has proven to be dangerous in close games, tallying eight wins in overtime or penalty shootouts at home over the last four years.

On the Sideline

Head Coach Barb Weinberg enters her eighth season at the helm of the Minutewomen, holding a career record of 84-53 (.613). UMass has never finished outside of the top-4 in the A-10 standings during Weinberg's tenure.
Massachusetts assistants Simon van de Loo and Holly Turbill enter their second season in Amherst, looking to build on a successful first season at The Chuk.
Van de Loo brings 17 years of coaching experience to the Minutewomen, spending the 2022 season as an assistant coach for the Den Bosch men's field hockey team in The Netherlands
Turbill crosses the pond after serving as both U-16 Boys and U-18 Girls Talent Academy Head Coach at the Surbiton Hockey Club in Long Ditton, Surrey, England.

Up Next

UMass completes it's three-game homestand hosting Quinnipiac on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 1 p.m. for Alumni Day at The Chuk. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and can be followed live on umassathletics.com or UMassFH on Twitter.

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

Dempsey Campbell

Megan Carpenter

Claire Danahy

Hannah de Gast

Elani Sherwood