Cal Returns To The East Coast To Close Out Regular Season
BERKELEY - After the emotional victory over Stanford last Friday and the Senior Night festivities before the win, the California field hockey team looks to extend its current three-game winning streak with a pair of victories on the east coast to close out the regular season this weekend. The Golden Bears battle Monmouth on Friday, Oct 29, at 11 a.m. PT and UAlbany on Sunday, Oct. 31, at 9 am PT.
The current three-game winning streak marks three consecutive seasons in which Cal has enjoyed three straight victories. A win on Friday would give Cal its longest winning streak since collecting a run of six straight wins in 2017. A win this weekend would also give the Bears their most wins in a season since the 2011 Bears finished with 16.
The Bears are currently tied for second in the AE standings with their record of 9-4 overall and 5-1 in conference play. Cal is contending with this week's opponents, Monmouth and UAlbany, for the second seed in the America East Tournament, and a coveted first-round bye.
Bears Get Second Win Over Stanford
• For the first time since 2007, Cal defeated Stanford twice in a season after shutting out the Cardinal for the second straight time this fall, 2-0, last Friday on Senior Night. Brynn Zorilla converted on a penalty stroke and Kiki de Bruijne tallied an insurance goal later in the third quarter. The win also marked the first time since 2001 that Cal shut out Stanford twice in a season.
Offense Dominates In Wins
• In Cal's nine wins this season, the Bears have outscored their opponents, 18-4, with six shutouts, including the last three consecutive games. Eighteen of the Bears' 20 goals this season have come in victories. Cal has also out shot its opponents, 121-84, in wins. Eight of the nine wins were either shutouts or one-goal victories, including an OT winner on Sept. 26 at UMass-Lowell.
Cato Recognized Times Three
• For the third time this season, and second time in as many weeks, Cato Knipping was tabbed America East Defensive Player Of The Week after blanking Stanford last week on five saves. She ranks second in the AE in goals-against average at 1.24 and save percentage (.764). She also paces the league in shutouts with five.
Cal All-time Vs. This Week's Foes
• The Bears are 0-2 all-time vs. Monmouth, with the most-recent meeting taking place during the 2021 spring season, a 3-0 win for the Hawks. These teams first met in the semifinals of the 2019 AE Tournament. The Bears are 2-0 vs UAlbany, including a 3-1 win last spring. Cal also beat the Great Danes, 3-2, in overtime during the 2008 campaign.
Even Distribution
• Numerous Bears have been contributing on offense all season. Anne Van Hoof currently paces the Bears with 10 points on five goals, but Rachel Buttinger (4 goals) and Maddie Cleat (3 goals, 2 assists) are right behind Van Hoof with eight points each. Jane Onners ranks fourth with seven points (3 goals, 1 assist) as a staple on penalty corners. Brynn Zorilla and Kiki de Bruijne scored their first goals of the season against Stanford last Friday, and de Bruijne also leads her squad in assists with four. In total, nine Bears have secured at least one point this season.
Smart Bears
• A program-record group of 23 Cal field hockey student-athletes were honored with 2020 Zag Field Hockey/NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad laurels. Cato Knipping, Natalie Moore, Sara Stone and Kaiden Stanley were tabbed NFHCA Scholars of Distinction with Knipping earning the honor for the second straight year. Cal was also once again tabbed an NFHCA National Academic Squad. In addition, 22 Bears earned America East Honor Roll accolades, with 16 picking up AE Commissioner's Honor Roll stature (3.5 GPA or better). Earlier this week, Cal won the Newmark Award for the highest GPA (3.603) among Cal's large women's programs.
Next Up
• Cal remains on the east coast for next weekend's America East Conference Tournament, which will be held on the Maine campus after the Black Bears clinched the top seed last weekend.