Cal vs. Providence

Friday, Aug. 24 | 6 PM PT | Underhill Field | Berkeley, Calif.
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Cal vs. No. 4 Maryland

Sunday, Aug. 26 | 12 PM PT | Underhill Field | Berkeley, Calif.
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California field hockey welcomes in a new season with a pair of strong East Coast opponents and several fan promotions when the Golden Bears return to Underhill Field this weekend.
 
The Bears host Providence on Friday under the lights, beginning at 6 p.m., before taking on No. 4 Maryland on Sunday at noon.
 
Admission is free and parking is available directly below the field in the Underhill Parking Garage. In addition, this weekend's slate also features t-shirt giveaways and food truck options for fans, with Dojo Dog available on Friday and The Boneyard available on Sunday. Each truck will be parked along the entrance on College Ave.
 
The Bears will also play host in a neutral-site contest featuring Maryland vs. UC Davis on Monday, Aug. 27 at 11 a.m. As with all Cal field hockey matches, admission is free.
 
Cal, who clinched a share of the America East divisional title in 2017, returns its top five scorers from last season. NFHCA All-Region selection Megan Rodgers leads the squad into 2018 after rising to become the nation's third-highest scoring freshman as a rookie. Melina Moore, who turned in eight goals and one assist for 17 points last season, returns for her senior season and is just two goals away from breaking into Cal's all-time top 10 for goals scored. The Bears also feature Team USA developmental squad members Katrina Carter and Brynn Zorilla.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW: This season, all non-televised Cal home games will be streamed for free online at calbea.rs/WatchCalFH . Live stats are available via the CalBears.com schedule page, and follow @CalFieldHockey on Instagram and Twitter, plus Facebook.com/CalFH for a behind-the-scenes look at gameday and more.
 

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HEAD COACH SHELLIE ONSTEAD'S TAKE

The team is excited and ready for action! We plan to start strong right out of the gate.
 
In addition, the fans will be happy to hear that admission is free, parking is easy and we will have a food truck parked on College Ave. at the entrance!
 

NEED TO KNOW

• The Bears are 13-10 in season openers with head coach Shellie Onstead at the helm.
• Over the past 14 seasons, the Bears are 7-7 in season openers.
• The Bears clinched a share of the America East divisional title last season.
• Cal returns its top 5 leading scorers from last season, and top 2 assist leaders.
• Eight of Cal's 10 players who scored goals last season are back in the lineup for 2018.
• Three of Cal's four America East All-Conference selections are back: Megan Rodgers (All-Conference, All-Rookie), Femke Delissen (All-Conference) and Janaye Sakkas (All-Academic).
• Rodgers was also an NFHCA All-Region honoree last season.

SCOUTING THE FRIARS

Last Meeting: Lost at Providence, 2-1, on Oct. 17, 2010
Series: Providence leads, 3-2
Notable: Cal opened its season against Providence 20 years ago – hosting the Friars on Sept. 3, 1998 and defeating the squad 3-2.
The Friars return five starters and 16 letterwinners from a 2017 squad that went 11-8 overall.
Corinne Kenney was a 2017 All-BIG EAST Second Team selection.
Kenney and Mikayla Michals are 2018 Preseason All-BIG EAST players.
Lydia Rice is the only returning goalkeeper for the Friars. She saw time in two games last season, tallying 65 minutes of play and four saves without a single goal allowed.
 

SCOUTING THE TERRAPINS

Last Meeting: Lost at Maryland, 5-1, on Sept. 10, 2016
Series: Maryland leads, 10-0
Notable: The Bears have lost every meeting in the series, dating back to the inaugural match in 1989. Cal's slimmest margin of defeat is two goals, in 2002 (3-1), 2003 (2-0) and 2005 (4-2).
The Terrapins open the season ranked fourth in the Penn Monto/Division I Coaches Preseason Poll.
Linnea Gonzales, Kelee Lepage and Brooke DeBerdine were named Big Ten Players to Watch.
Gonzales scored 10 goals and added two assists for 22 points last season.
Sarah Holliday led the Terrapins in the cage last season, appearing in 23 games and allowing just 32 goals for a 1.40 goals against average with 97 saves. She went 15-6.
Maryland returns to Berkeley for the first time since 2006.
 

BEARS TABBED THIRD IN AE WEST

For the third consecutive season, the coaches of the America East have predicted a third-place finish for the Golden Bears (5 points) in the America East, just one point behind second-place Pacific (6 points). The Bears received one first-place vote, while Stanford received three first-place votes to be named the favorite in the West and UC Davis was tabbed last. In the East Division, Albany was predicted as the league's champion.
 

RED, WHITE, BLUE & GOLD

In addition to head coach Shellie Onstead and both assistant coaches Malachi Mahan and Austin Pile holding national team playing or coaching experience, the Golden Bears have a long pipeline of individuals associated with Cal field hockey playing or working with Team USA. This year, Katrina Carter, Megan Rodgers and Brynn Zorilla played with Team USA's development squads. Carter most recently spent a week in Tucuman, Argentina to face off against Argentina's U-21 squad with Team USA.
 

NEXT UP

Cal remains at home to wrap up its season-opening homestand against Miami (Ohio). The Bears host the Red Hawks on Sunday, Sept. 2 at 2 p.m.