HENNIKER, N.H. - The New England College field hockey team travels to St. Joseph's College of Maine on Saturday for the quarterfinal round of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament.
The Pilgrims will enter the postseason as the fifth seed with a 10-7 (5-4 GNAC) record while the Monks hold a 9-9 (6-3 GNAC) record. Both teams are looking to return to the GNAC Semifinals after making semifinal exits during the 2025 postseason.
New England College has come up short in its recent matchups against St. Joseph's, including an overtime loss earlier this season on October 10. In that contest, NEC outshot the Monks 15-11, with transfers sophomore Mary Kelley (Cumberland, R.I.) and senior Kameryn Mazzulli (Waterford, Conn.) leading the Pilgrims with four and three shots on goal, respectively. Kelley scored the game-tying goal in the fourth quarter with just nine minutes remaining to send the game into overtime.
The Pilgrims' last victory over the Monks came on October 8, 2024, when NEC earned a 3-0 road win.
Offensively, seniors Adelaide Kelly (Rockport, Maine) and Kacey McClay (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) have paced the Pilgrims with nine goals apiece this season. Kelley has added six goals, while junior Kennedy Overhoff (Whitefield, N.H.) leads the team with six assists.
Defensively, the Pilgrims have been a strong presence throughout the season, recording seven shutout victories. NEC's 1.33 goals against average are the lowest in the conference. Senior Annie Raduazzo (Amherst, N.H.) has anchored the defense in goal, leading the GNAC with a .818 save percentage while posting a 1.30 goals-against average, the second lowest in the conference. Through 15 appearances, Raduazzo has collected seven wins, allowing 16 goals.
In front of Raduazzo, senior Isabelle Toupin (Derry, N.H.) and Neila Jones (Rowley, Mass.) have both played key roles in limiting opposing offenses. Toupin earned GNAC Defensive Player of the Week in mid-September, while Jones received the recognition at the end of October. Senior Lauren Hall (Belfast, Maine) has also been recognized on the GNAC Weekly Honor Roll for her defensive contributions.
The Monks are led by sophomore Ava Markham and freshman Chloe Masse, who each have scored 11 goals this season. Markham also leads the team with 12 assists, 34 points, and 43 shots on goal. She scored the game-winning goal in the team' earlier meeting and will be a key player for the Pilgrims to contain defensively.
In goal, senior Kimberley McLaughlin has played and started in all 17 games for St. Joseph's this season, recording a .781 save percentage and a 2.45 goals-against average while allowing 41 goals. Against the Pilgrims earlier this season, McLaughlin played 75 minutes and made 11 saves.
The winner of NEC and St. Joe's matchup will advance to the GNAC Semifinals on Wednesday, November 4, where they will face the winner of the quarterfinal between top seeded Colby-Sawyer and eighth-seeded Rivier. The semifinal will be hosted by the higher remaining seed.
The 'Grims will look to advance to the GNAC Semifinals for the fourth consecutive season. Saturday's quarterfinal matchup is set for an 11:00 a.m. start at the SJC Athletics Complex in Standish, Maine.
The game can be streamed here.
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