INDIANA, Pa. – Following a 2-0 week that included another top-five victory, IUP field hockey moved up to No. 6 in the latest NFHCA Division II Coaches Poll.
The Crimson Hawks continued their strong stretch with victories over Mansfield and then-No. 5 West Chester last week, improving to 10-3 overall and 4-1 in PSAC play. IUP has won three consecutive games and five of its six contests at Miller Stadium this season.
IUP opened the week with a 4-1 victory over Mansfield, using three second-half goals to pull away from the Mounties. Sophomore Kasey Rieger scored twice in the victory, while Sydney Schmouder and senior Lauren Horning also found the cage.
The Crimson Hawks followed with one of their biggest victories of the season Saturday, scoring three unanswered second-half goals to rally past No. 5 West Chester, 3-1, on Senior Day.
After trailing 1-0 at halftime, senior Lilly Fringer tied the game early in the third quarter before Rieger scored the eventual game-winner just over two minutes later. Grace McGeehan added an insurance goal in the fourth quarter as IUP completed the comeback.
The victory marked IUP's second win over a top-five opponent in an eight-day span after the Crimson Hawks shut out then-No. 5 Bloomsburg, 1-0, on Oct. 17.
IUP continues to navigate a schedule loaded with nationally ranked opponents as seven of the top 10 teams in this week's NFHCA poll come from the PSAC. Kutztown holds the No. 1 spot with a 14-1 record.
The road does not get any easier for the Crimson Hawks, who travel to No. 9 Slippery Rock on Wednesday before facing No. 3 East Stroudsburg on Saturday.
IUP also has a matchup with No. 2 Shippensburg remaining on the schedule in the regular-season finale at Miller Stadium. The Crimson Hawks pushed Shippensburg to double overtime in a nonconference meeting earlier this season before falling, 2-1.
With three consecutive victories and a 10-3 record, IUP enters the closing stretch of the regular season at its highest national ranking of the year.
