SOMETHING FAMILIAR ABOUT THIS PLACE
The Sacred Heart University field hockey team is on the road for non-conference action on Friday evening, but will also be at home, in a sense. The Pioneers travel just up the road for a visit to Yale. and Johnson Field, which also serves as SHU's home pitch. It's back-to-back Ivy League dates for Sacred Heart, which was at Dartmouth on Sunday, as well as the second game of a four-contest road stint.

LAST WEEKEND
A week after picking up a pair of one-goal wins, SHU suffered two one-gaol defeats last weekend. In the team's home opener on Friday, the Pios equalized on Jenna Baxter's third-quarter marker -- the first of her collegiate career -- but ultimately came up empty on 10 penalty corners and suffered a 2-1 (OT/SO) loss to Hofstra. SHU hit the road on Sunday and fell behind 2-0 early on the way to a 3-2 defeat at Dartmouth. Aine Keaney and Blaire Sparks found the net for the red and white on Sunday.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
For its part, Yale split a pair of one-goal games last weekend and has already played two overtime games in its first two contests. The Bulldogs kept it in Connecticut all last weekend, as they took a 1-0 victory at Fairfield on Friday and then suffered a 2-1 (2 OT) loss at home against Brown in the Ivy League opener on Sunday. Lily Ramsey had the lone goal of Friday's game, while Hettie Whittington struck for Yale on Sunday. Ellie Barlow leads the offense with 2-2-6 throught he first four games.

PREVIOUSLY AGAINST YALE
Excepting the spring 2021 pandemic-altered season, the Pioneers and the Bulldogs have met at Yale ever season since 2008. Yale has won each of the last eight meetings between the two, with SHU's last victory in the series coming in 2014. A year ago, Isabelle Chamberlain opened the scoring for the Pios with a penalty-stroke goal in the 11th minute, but Yale stormed back with three second-half goals to to come away with a 3-1 victory. Ashley Kim scored twice, including the game-winner, for the Bulldogs.

UP NEXT
While the Pios have only one game on the docket this week, they will be busy next week. SHU travels to Holy Cross on Wednesday, Sept. 25, before returning to Northeaset Conference play with a trip to Merrimack on Friday, Sept. 27. SHU will round out the week with a non-conference contest at home against Saint Louis on Sunday, Sept. 29.