MIDDLETOWN, C.T. - The SUNY Geneseo field hockey team faces Wesleyan in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament, Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m. in Middletown, C.T. This will mark the first meeting between the two programs. Geneseo will compete in the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in program history, as the Knights continue to look for their first win on the national stage.
Wednesday's winner will face a quick turn around, traveling to Middlebury on Saturday, Nov. 14 for a 2 p.m. game against the winner of Hamilton and Southern Maine.
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LIVE STATS
THREE'S COMPANY:
SUNY Geneseo enters the NCAA Tournament after winning its third consecutive Empire 8 Championship on Saturday. The Knights beat Hartwick 2-0 at College Stadium and improved to 16-3 overall. Geneseo went 10-0 in conference play and has now won 34 straight games against Empire 8 opponents, regular season and postseason, since joining the league in 2024. This is the program's sixth NCAA Tournament appearance. Today, the Knights travel to Middletown, Conn. to face Wesleyan at 4 p.m. in the first round. It will be the first meeting ever between the two programs. Wesleyan enters with a 10-6 record and is coming off a 2-0 loss to Bowdoin in the NESCAC quarterfinals. The winner advances to the second round at Middlebury on Saturday.
GREEK GODDESS OF GOALS:
Ella Greico is now the most prolific scorer in Geneseo field hockey history. The senior entered the season needing seven goals to break the program's career goals record of 55 and 22 points to break the career points record of 134. She now holds both, with 70 career goals and 164 career points, along with 24 assists. Greico scored both goals in Saturday's title game against Hartwick, giving her 22 goals and a team-leading 52 points this season. She has scored in 13 games, including two hat tricks. She also leads the Knights in shots on goal (66), game-winning goals (5) and shot-on-goal percentage among regular starters (75.0%). On Sunday she was named Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season, only the fourth player in league history to win the award in back-to-back years.
SAFER WITH SCHAFER:
Bridget Schafer made history of her own in Saturday's championship. With one save over 60 minutes against Hartwick, the senior recorded her 14th career shutout, breaking the program record held by Sarah Quinlan. Schafer has started all 19 games this season and has allowed 18 goals. She has 53 saves, a .746 save percentage, a 0.99 GAA and six solo shutouts. Hartwick earned 16 penalty corners on Saturday but managed only one shot on goal.
ALL IN HARMAN-Y:
Ava Harman was named Empire 8 Tournament MVP. In last Wednesday's 3-2 semifinal win over St. John Fisher, she scored a goal and assisted on Halle Senfield's game-winner. The junior leads the team in assists with 16 and ranks second in points with 50, just two behind Greico. She also has 17 goals, 59 shots on goal and three game-winners. Her four-goal, eight-point performance at Keuka in October is the best single-game total by any Knight this season. She also leads all Geneseo field players with 1,133 minutes.
HALLE-LUJAH:
Halle Senfield scored twice in the Empire 8 semifinal win over St. John Fisher, including the game-winning goal. She ranks third on the team with 15 goals and 36 points, along with six assists. Senfield has taken 69 shots, 37 of them on goal, and has three game-winning goals.
WENNER WENNER, CHICKEN DINNER:
Aubree Wenner gives the Knights a fourth scoring threat. The junior has 11 goals and 10 assists for 32 points. Her 10 assists rank second on the team, and her four game-winning goals rank second behind Greico. Wenner assisted on Harman's goal in the semifinal against St. John Fisher. She has taken 65 shots, with 39 on goal, and has converted one of two penalty strokes this season.
SHE GIANNELLI EVER MISSES:
Kyra Giannelli has put 11 of her 13 shots on goal this season, an 84.6% rate that is the best among Knights with more than five shots. The senior assisted on Greico's insurance goal in the fourth quarter against Hartwick. She now has three goals, seven assists and 13 points. Her 1,070 minutes rank among the most on the team.
NO VACANCY:
Geneseo has outscored opponents 79-18 this season, averaging 4.16 goals per game and allowing 0.95. The Knights have outshot opponents 417-161 and lead 210-130 in penalty corners. They have recorded eight team shutouts and held opponents to 73 shots on goal in 19 games. In the regular season, Geneseo outscored Empire 8 opponents 48-4.
