Winchester, Va. – The Shenandoah University Field Hockey Team has released its 2024 Season Schedule, as twelfth-year head coach Ashley Smeltzer-Kraft announced.
Field Hockey will return to the field after a very impressive 16-3 (8-1 ODAC) season, including victories over seven out of eight non-conference opponents. After missing the postseason in 2023, coach Smeltzer-Kraft has a bolstered schedule this season with a flurry of high-ranking opponents. The Hornets, ranked 17th in the final 2023 Penn Monto/NFHCA poll, also return most of their starting group, including two-time ODAC Defensive Player of the Year Elise Velasquez and three-time First Team All-ODAC forward Mairead McKibbin.
The Hornets open the season on the road at 4th-ranked Johns Hopkins University on August 30th. A season ago, the Hornets and Blue Jays played a tightly contested matchup before the Blue Jays scored two unanswered to close out the game late in the second half.
The next day, the Hornets start their two-game home stand with Depauw University on September 1st and Gettysburg College on September 4th. This will be the first meeting between the Hornets and Tigers of Depauw, a team that finished 11-7 (8-2 NCAC) a year ago. The Hornets handled a solid Bullets team on the road a year ago.
With a week's rest, the Hornets return to action on September 10th on the road against Washington College (Md.).
The Hornets spend the next week at home, including three games: first against Mary Washington on September 14, Dickinson on September 18, and 6th-ranked Salisbury on September 21. Mary Washington played a tight contest against the Hornets a year ago, with the Hornets winning 1-0. The Hornets last played the Dickinson Red Devils in 2021, where they won 3-2 at home. Shenandoah and Salisbury will meet for the first time this season.
Back-to-back ranked opponents for the Hornets as they travel to 16th-ranked Rowan on September 28, another first meeting for the Hornets.
The Hornets' second-to-last non-conference opponent lands on October 2nd at home against Saint Mary's College of Maryland.
Conference play begins with a road trip to Lexington, Va., in a face-off with Washington and Lee on October 9. The Hornets went 2-0 against the Generals in 2023, winning 2-1 in the regular season on a 59th-minute game-winner by Madison Short and again in the ODAC semifinal, winning 2-0.
Roanoke comes to town on Saturday for a noon start. The Hornets have had the Maroons' number the last three seasons, not allowing more than one goal.
The Hornets welcome Centre College as their final non-conference opponent on Monday, October 14, during Shenandoah's fall break. The Colonels went 11-9 (7-1 SAA) in 2023 and fell in the Southern Athletic Association Title Game to close their season.
The Hornets will return to the road for a pair of conference opponents: Virginia Wesleyan on October 16 and Sweet Briar on October 19.
The final four matchups include two home games (EMU on October 23, Bridgewater on October 30) and two road games (Randolph-Macon on October 26, Lynchburg on November 2nd). Bridgewater gave the Hornets a scare last season, putting four goals through a stifling defense - the most goals the Hornets would give up in a single game all season - despite the Hornets winning 7-4. The Hornets will look to finish their regular season by toppling the 2023 ODAC Champions, Lynchburg.
The 2024 ODAC Tournament will begin with the quarterfinals on November 5, the semifinals on November 7, and the championship on November 9.
Stay tuned to suhornets.com for all Shenandoah Field Hockey updates!
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