POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (September 4, 2014) – The Vassar College field hockey team gets set to play host to three teams in the 26^th version of the annual Betty Richey Tournament, hosted on Weinberg Field Friday and Saturday. Vassar College will host Thomas College Friday at 7:45 p.m., after Manhattanville College and Smith College battle at 5 p.m. for the right to advance. The consolation game is Saturday at noon, while the title contest starts at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Game Details
Opponent: Thomas College
Links: (Thomas Field Hockey Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Poughkeepsie, NY
Facility:  Weinberg Field (500)
Date: September 5, 2014
Time:  7:45 p.m.
Game Coverage: (Live Video) (Live Stats)

Opponent: Manhattanville College OR Smith College
Links: (Manhattanville Field Hockey Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
(Smith Field Hockey Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Poughkeepsie, NY
Facility:  Athletics and Fitness Center (1,500)
Date: September 6, 2014
Time:  12 OR 2:30 p.m.
Game Coverage: (Live Video) (Live Stats)

What to Look For
The Brewers have only played one game thus far this season, which is two fewer than both Thomas College and Manhattanville College. Vassar College is the only team with a winning record coming into the Betty Richey Tournament, as the Valiants are 0-3 and the Terriers are 1-2. Smith College will open its season this weekend, after having last weekend off. The Brewers will have home field advantage though, which could go a long way in what is a very busy weekend for Vassar College athletics.

A Look At The Terriers (1-2)
The Thomas Terriers come to Vassar College for the first time ever in 2014, after being selected to finish fourth in the North Atlantic Conference. The Terriers started the season with a 3-1 win at Nichols College, but dropped a 1-0 decision to Bridgewater State in overtime. The Terriers also battled Colby College on Wednesday, though results were not available at press time.

Thomas so far has scored three goals on the season, two coming on assists. Erica Blake, Abigal Dunn and Nora Rauch have all scored, while Brooklyn Curry and Brittany Premo have the team's two assists. Abbie Charrier has played all 141 minutes in the cage for Thomas College, as she was named NAC Defensive Player of the Week after making 21 saves.

Against Thomas All-Time
Thomas and Vassar College will battle for the first time Friday night, becoming just the second North Atlantic Conference team VC has played. That game came a week ago Friday, marking the second consecutive game against a NAC team after never playing one before in program history.

A Look At The Valiants (0-3)
The Valiants of Manhattanville College comes into the Betty Richey tough-luck losers in all three of their games thus far, most recently an 8-1 loss to No. 11 College of New Jersey. In that contest, keeper Meghan Hughes made 25 saves. Manhattanville is a two-time winner of the Betty Richey Tournament, taking the title in back-to-back years in 2011 and 2012.

So far this season, the goal scoring has been really spread out for the Valiants, as all four goals have come from separate goal scorers. Bregje Smits leads the squad with a goal and an assist, while Morgan Parsons, Kirsten Savage and Rylee McGuire each have a tally as well. Both Smits and Devon Butler lead the team in defensive saves with two apiece, while Hughes has played all but 35 minutes in cage, making 32 saves so far this season.

Against Manhattanville All-Time
Vassar holds a slight 12-11 edge over the Valiants, having knocked off Manhattanville 2-1 in overtime last season in the opening round of the Betty Richey Tournament. Before that, the Brewers had split the previous four meetings with M'Ville.

A Look At The Pioneers
The defending Betty Richey Champions will return to Weinberg Field this afternoon without the services of four-year star Allie Stein, who was among the NCAA goal scoring leaders last season with 29 tallies and 16 assists. The Pioneers do return a solid nucleus off of last year's squad, including defender Rebecca Meagher, who posted eight goals and four assists. Kristen Estes led the way last year with three defensive saves, and she is back along with her sister Kat, who scored four goals and assisted on three others.

Another one of the Estes sisters in Jenny returns after finishing second on the squad in assists with 10, but both of the Pioneers main keepers are gone. Nora Demick is the only Smith player with keeping experience coming into the season, as she played in 30 minutes last year.

Against Smith All-Time
VC has won 10 of the 18 total games with the Pioneers dating back to 1988, in a streaky series so far. Smith won the first five games, but the Brewers responded with six consecutive victories. Smith picked up the next to games in 2005 and 2006, but Vassar would win the following four games by a combined score of 16-4. Last year, Smith snuck by VC in overtime in the Betty Richey Tournament final, 3-2.

Around The World
The Brewers sport a variety of states on the squad this season, as eight different states and a player in Christina Yang (Singapore/United World College of SE Asia) from halfway around the globe. VC has players from New York, Massachusetts, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Virginia, New Hampshire and New Jersey, while Flora Crichton-Stuart (New York, NY/St. Mary's School) has lived in the United Kingdom for many years.

Back Together Again
The Vassar College coaching staff has a long history, as head coach Michael Warari coached now assistant Katie Bulk in college at Messiah College.

Remember the Titans
Sophomore midfielder Emma Bracken (Alexandria, VA) attended T.C. Williams High School, which is the high school that the hit football movie, Remember the Titans, was based on.

Star Power
Vassar sophomore back Sophie Arnold (Merion, PA/Lower Marion) attended the same high school as NBA star Kobe Bryant, as well as current Librarian of Congress James Billington and Hap Arnold, father of the US Air Force.
 
Double Up
Junior captain Lauren Wiebe (Chicago, IL/Francis W. Parker) scored a pair of goals against Colby-Sawyer College last Friday. Her double was fourth time she has scored multiple goals in a contest, bested only by her hat trick at Morrisville State last year.

Punctuate The Obvious
Sophomore transfer Flora Crichton-Stuart is the first player for the Brewers to have a part of punctuation in her name since 2009, when freshman keeper Rachel Clarkin-Breslin had a hyphenated last name as well.

Ay-Ay Skipper
The Brewers have three captains this season, as seniors Hilary McDonnell (Blue Bell, PA/The Springside School) and Enya Cunningham (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) is joined by junior Lauren Wiebe.

Beach Weather
Sophomore forward Hayley Beach (Latham, NY/Shaker) must love the hot beach weather, as she has scored in the season opener in each of the last two seasons, both in the month of August.

Home Cookin'
Vassar College has a nice opening stretch of home games, as it starts the year with four games on Weinberg Field. VC also plays nine of its first 12 games at home before finishing with five consecutive road affairs.

Fire At Will
The Brewers blasted 37 shots in their first game against Colby-Sawyer College, as nine players had an attempt on cage. The 37 shots is the second-most in the last six seasons, bested only by the 69 in a 11-0 win over Morrisville State last year.

Up Next
Vassar College finishes its four-game home swing Tuesday evening against Kean University in non-conference action.