Every Friday, the NE10 is going to highlight the biggest contests each weekend. It may be a big-time rivalry, matchup between two ranked teams or a battle for playoff-positioning. Fans can follow the action for every game by visiting our schedule page.
FOOTBALL
Stonehill at Pace: Oct. 30 – 12:00 p.m. (Live Stats – Video)
Stonehill and Pace are both coming off losses last weekend and looking to get back on track Saturday when they meet at Pace Stadium. The Skyhawks (5-2, 3-2 NE10) currently sit in fourth place in the NE10 standings, while the Setters (1-6, 1-4 NE10) hope to continue building momentum on their home turf after a thrilling 39-31 double-overtime win against Franklin Pierce two weeks ago in Pleasantville, N.Y.
The Skyhawks boast one of the top offenses in the NE10, recording a league-best 413.1 yards per game on average – led by their ground attack and a league-high 16 rushing touchdowns this season. Pace quarterback Carlton Aiken, the reigning NE10 Offensive Player of the Year, has thrown for 519 yards and racked-up six touchdowns (five pass, one rush) combined in the past two games for the Setters.
Assumption at New Haven: Oct. 30 – 1:00 p.m. (Live Stats – Video)
Assumption travels to play New Haven on Saturday in an important matchup for both programs as it relates to the top of the NE10 standings. The Greyhounds (4-3, 4-1 NE10) have won three straight games, with their only conference loss coming to Stonehill by a narrow 27-26 margin on Sept. 25. The Chargers (6-1, 5-0 NE10), who are receiving votes in the latest American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) poll, have not lost a conference game this season.
New Haven is the league leader in scoring on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, scoring 33.9 points per game and allowing only 15.0. Assumption, however, has one of the best rushing attacks in the conference – netting 205.4 yards per contest due in large part to the efforts of Khaleed Exum-Strong (123.0 yards per game). Both teams look to secure an important head-to-head victory as the season enters its final three weeks. Assumption leads the all-time series, 8-6.
FIELD HOCKEY
New Haven at No. 6 Saint Anselm: Oct. 29 – 2:00 p.m. (Live Stats – Video)
The Chargers (9-8, 9-4 NE10) have already clinched their first NE10 Playoff berth in program history and look to improve their positioning when they travel to face Saint Anselm (13-4, 10-3 NE10) on Friday. The contest is also crucial for the Hawks as a win guarantees a home playoff game while a loss could send them on the road as five teams currently have nine or ten wins entering the final weekend of the season.
Saint Anslem is coming off a tough 1-0 loss in OT to No. 3 Assumption, but still ranks fourth in the NE10 with 3.0 goals per game. The Chargers, meanwhile, are just eighth in scoring at 2.1 goals per game. Defensively, Keira Integlia has five shutouts with a 1.49 GAA and .794 save percentage for New Haven. Mackenzie McConnell has only allowed four goals in ten starts for the Hawks with an impressive .905 save percentage.
St. Thomas Aquinas at No. 3 Assumption: Oct. 30 – 1:00 p.m. (Live Stats – Video)
The Greyhounds (16-1, 13-0 NE10) own the second-longest win streak in all of Division II, having won 16 straight, and already clinched the top seed in the NE10 Tournament. They will face off against the Spartans (8-9, 7-6 NE10) who are locked in as the eighth seed, so the two teams will play Saturday and then again on Monday in the NE10 Quarterfinals.
Assumption has been led all season long by a steady offense and dominant defense as they've given up just 11 goals this year while averaging 3.5 per game on offense. Deirdre Burchill and Mia Salah have combined for 21 goals this season while Kylie Gargiulo owns a 0.60 GAA with an .840 save percentage in net. St. Thomas Aquinas is averaging just 1.7 goals per game but has scored 14 over its past three games. Lauren Cooper leads the offense with ten goals.
MEN'S SOCCER
No. 5 Franklin Pierce at Adelphi: Oct. 30 – 11:00 a.m. (Live Stats – Video)
The Ravens look to stay at the top of the NE10 standings but face one of their toughest tests of the year against a potent Panther offense. A win would guarantee a top-two seed in the NE10 Tournament for Frankin Pierce (14-1, 9-1 NE10) while Adelphi (9-4-1, 8-2 NE10) looks to bounce back from its midweek loss to No. 23 American International and secure a top-two seed of its own.
This year the Ravens are averaging 2.8 goals per game to lead the NE10, while Adelphi is close behind at 2.4 per contest. However, Franklin Pierce has only allowed six goals all season, while the Panthers have given up 22 goals. The Panthers have relied on the duo of Rodrigo Descalzo Rocca and Paolo Marciano who have combined for 21 goals and 11 assists this year. Conversely, Franklin Pierce doesn't have any player with over seven goals but does have six players with at least ten points.
No. 23 American International at Saint Rose: Oct. 30 – 1:00 p.m. (Live Stats – Video)
The Yellow Jackets (12-1-1, 9-1 NE10) look to keep up their best regular season in program history when they travel to face the Golden Knights (7-5-2, 6-3-1 NE10). AIC is coming off a tight 1-0 win over Adelphi and can clinch a top-two seed in the NE10 Tournament with a win on Saturday. Saint Rose, meanwhile, has won five of its past six matches to keep up the possibility for a home playoff game.
This season AIC ranks second in the NE10 with 2.7 goals per game, while also ranking second in GAA at 0.77. Saint Rose, meanwhile, is scoring 1.5 goals per game but allowing just 1.1 per contest. Mathis Pilon st. Louis leads the team with ten goals while Lucas Morales-Fernandez is 12-1 with seven shutouts and an .871 save percentage in net. Victor Henricksen leads the Golden Knights with six goals while Tomas Rozman is 5-1 in net with a 0.71 GAA and an .850 save percentage.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Assumption at Adelphi: Oct. 30 – 2:00 p.m. (Live Stats – Video)
Two teams competing for playoff spots in the NE10 Championship will play on Saturday when Assumption travels to take on Adelphi at Motamed Field. The Panthers (5-5-3, 5-5-2 NE10) are coming off an impressive 0-0 draw in double overtime with No. 7 Saint Rose – the reigning NE10 champion – on Wednesday. The Greyhounds (6-3-6, 4-2-5 NE10) have won each of their past two games entering Saturday.
Assumption's defense continues to be a strength, as its allows just 0.79 goals per game – fourth-best among NE10 teams – spearheaded by goalkeeper Julia Walsh, who is fourth in the league in save percentage (.859). Adelphi's Carly Issing, the reigning NE10 Rookie of the Week, leads the Panthers in scoring this season with 13 points (five goals, three assists).
Southern Connecticut at No. 7 Saint Rose: Saturday, Oct. 30 – 3:00 p.m. (Live Stats – Video)
It will be a rematch of the 2019 NE10 Women's Soccer Championship final when Southern Connecticut visits No. 7-ranked Saint Rose at the Plumeri Sports Complex on Saturday afternoon. The Owls (5-7-2, 4-5-2 NE10) will look to avenge their last-second 3-2 loss in the Championship and hand the Golden Knights (11-0-3, 8-0-3 NE10) their first conference loss of the season.
Saint Rose was recently propelled to No. 7 in the United Soccer Coaches' poll, following its 1-0 double-overtime win over previously unbeaten and No. 6-ranked Southern New Hampshire. The Golden Knights are tied with Franklin Pierce for the top scoring offense in the league with 2.43 goals per game. The Owls are allowing just 0.90 goals per game to opponents, led by goalkeeper Allie Smith, who ranks fifth in the NE10 with 60 saves this season.
VOLLEYBALL
Saint Anselm at New Haven: Friday, Oct. 29 – 7:00 p.m. (Live Stats – Video)
A top-five matchup in the NE10 standings will happen when undefeated New Haven hosts Saint Anselm at Charger Gymnasium on Friday night. The Chargers (17-5, 7-0 NE10) currently sit in first place in the league, while the Hawks (14-5, 4-2 NE10) enter the contest riding a three-match winning streak. New Haven looks to rebound from the 2019 season, where it was eliminated by Saint Anselm in both the NE10 Volleyball Championship quarterfinals and NCAA East Regional.
New Haven and Saint Anselm are ranked first and second, respectively, among NE10 programs in hitting percentage this season, as well as top five in kills per set. Both teams have potent offenses, but also have the ability to defend, as both also rank in the top three of the NE10 in blocks per set. The Chargers are 13-6 all-time against the Hawks, but have lost the past three meetings.
Assumption at American International: Saturday, Oct. 30 – 1:00 p.m. (Live Stats – Video)
A couple teams easily in the NE10 Volleyball Championship discussion are Assumption and American International, who will play on Saturday afternoon at the Butova Gymnasium. The Yellow Jackets (20-6, 7-2 NE10) are riding a remarkable 13-match winning streak, dating back to Sept. 29, which includes 10 straight-set victories. The Greyhounds (7-7, 5-3) look to slow AIC's momentum on Saturday, while building some of their own following three losses in their past four matches.
AIC's Andrea Serra-Rosa is ranked second in the NE10 in kills per set (3.52) and first in overall kills (299), while Naomi Eckert-Rivera leads the league in assists per set (10.76). Assumption's Barbara Illig, the reigning NE10 Libero of the Week, has recorded 20 or more digs in four of her last five matches, as she looks to help contain the Yellow Jackets' high-powered attack.
ICE HOCKEY
Stonehill at Curry: Oct. 29 – 7:00 p.m. (Live Stats – Video)
Stonehill, the reigning NE10 Champion, opens its 2021-22 season on the ice with a road game at Division III Curry on Friday night. The Skyhawks were 13-11-5 (8-6-4) in the league standings during the 2019-20 season, before beating Saint Michael's in the NE10 Semifinals and Franklin Pierce in the final at Warrior Ice Arena in Boston, Mass., to capture their third-ever NE10 title.
Head coach David Borges, now in his ninth season with the program, leads the Skyhawks into Friday night's opener. Junior forward Brendan Nehmer is the top returning scorer from two years ago for Stonehill, where he finished with 23 points on seven goals and 16 assists. In 2019-20, Curry went 17-6-3 (12-4-2 CCC) as a member of the Commonwealth Coast Conference – finishing in third place behind Endicott and the University of New England.
Southern New Hampshire at Rivier: Oct. 29 – 7:00 p.m. (Live Stats – Video)
Southern New Hampshire opens its season against Rivier, a Division III program in its first season based out of Nashua, N.H. The Penmen are just three years removed from their most recent NE10 Ice Hockey Championship title in 2018-19, but looks to bounce back after narrowly missing the league's postseason tournament in 2019-20. Head coach Sean Walsh enters his fifth season with SNHU.
Junior forward George Thurston returns as the team's top scorer from two years ago, where he tallied 20 points (12 goals and eight assists) on his way to being selected NE10 Rookie of the Year. The Penmen finished the season with a 10-15 (8-10 NE10) record and a sixth-place finish in the league standings.
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