University of Richmond Athletics
No. 20 Field Hockey Opens Atlantic 10 Play At Home
10/06/2005 | Field Hockey
Oct. 6, 2005
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The 20th-ranked Richmond Spider field hockey team opens Atlantic 10 play Friday, Oct. 7, when it hosts Massachusetts at 3 p.m. at Crenshaw Field. The Spiders, who have fallen in their last three, all to ranked opponents, are 5-5 on the season after facing a total of eight non-conference opponents which have been ranked or received votes at some point in 2005. Richmond's final game of the weekend will also be at Crenshaw Field, Sunday, Oct. 9 against Rhode Island at noon.
Richmond comes into its Atlantic 10 season riding two win streaks. The Spiders have not lost an A-10 regular season game since the 2001season, which spans 19 games. The other streak is a 24-game win streak which dates back to the 2002 season and includes regular season conference games and Atlantic 10 Tournament games.
Sophomore Shannon Taylor remains atop the Spiders goal list with five on the season. The Midlothian, Va., native leads the A-10 with 3.70 shots per game and is fourth in the conference with 0.5 goals per game. Taylor and senior Michelle La Force are tied for the team lead with four assists. La Force's helpers have all come on Spider penalty-corner goals.
UMass (3-8), which has lost its last four, is led by freshman Katelyn Orlando. The Manchester, Mass., native has scored a team-high three goals on 12 shots and also passed out two assists.
Richmond leads the all-time series with the Minutewomen, 5-3, which dates back to the 1994 season. The Spiders have won the last five, including last year's Atlantic 10 Championship final, 3-1, in Amherst, Mass.
Rhode Island is 5-5 heading into conference play this weekend. Prior to their visit to Richmond, Sunday Oct. 9, the Rams will take on A-10 newcomer Saint Louis in St. Louis, Mo., Friday Oct. 7. Freshman Jamie Adams leads the Ram attack with five goals in 10 starts. Senior Amy Brown has recorded four assists to lead Rhode Island in that category.
The Spiders have yet to lose in the all-time series with Rhode Island which dates back to the 2000 season. The Spiders have outscored the Rams 19-3, and have shutout URI two of the last three games in the series.
After Sunday's game against the Rams, the Spiders will have only two home games remaining on their regular season slate. Richmond will host Saint Joseph's, Oct. 14, at 3:30 p.m., and celebrate its eight seniors prior to the Temple game, Oct. 16, at noon.