Montclair, NJ - The Montclair State University field hockey team will play Franklin & Marshall College on Saturday, September 6, on the road for the first time this season, continuing their competitive schedule.

GAME INFO
The showdown is set at 3:00 p.m. in Lancaster, Pa. Live coverage of the game can be found at montclairathletics.com.

LAST TIME OUT
Montclair battled hard against #19 MIT, but fell short with a 1-0 defeat.. The teams were evenly matched in the opening quarter, each recording three shots. MIT applied early pressure, but SYDNEY WHITE made a strong save to keep the game scoreless. Montclair responded with a late push over the final six minutes, earning three penalty corners and three shots, but MIT goalkeeper Maeve Zimmer turned away each attempt, sending the game into the second quarter knotted at 0-0. Montclair continued to generate chances in the second quarter, earning a game-high six penalty corners along with three shots. Despite the pressure, MIT kept the Red Hawks off the scoreboard. In the 28th minute, after White stopped a shot, the Engineers were awarded a penalty stroke at 28:33 and converted to take a 1-0 lead into halftime. The Red Hawks came out firing in the third, tallying three penalty corners and three shots in the first four minutes, but Zimmer was up to the task once again. Later in the period, MIT looked to extend its lead with two shots from the edge of the circle, but White made a pair of strong saves to keep it 1-0 heading into the fourth. MIT applied pressure early in the final period, earning three penalty corners and three shots in the first four minutes, but White came through with more key saves. Montclair's best chance came in the 52nd minute when DARBY VON BERG forced a turnover deep in MIT's zone and crossed the ball to NATALIE SURMA, who just missed wide of the cage. The Red Hawks managed only one more shot the rest of the way, as the Engineers held on for the victory.


2025 TEAM LEADERS
MONTCLAIR STATE (1-1)
Goals: NATALIE SURMA, 1
Assists: DARBY VON BERG, 1
Points: NATALIE SURMA, 2
Shots: Two Tied for 2
Saves: SYDNEY WHITE, 13
Wins: SYDNEY WHITE, 1
 
2025 FRANKLIN & MARSHALL COLLEGE (2-0)
Goals: Three Tied for 2
Assists: Colleen Ferrarese, 4
Points: Emerson McDonald, 5
Shots: Emerson McDonald, 8
Saves: Lucy Fleming, 4
Wins: Lucy Fleming, 2

SCOUTING FRANKLIN & MARSHALL
The Diplomats enter this face-off with a 2-0 start to the season and are riding high after defeating #9 Messiah, 3-2 on the road. In 2024, F&M was just over the .500 mark with a 10-9 overall record and a 6-4 record in the Centennial Conference. They qualified for the conference tournament and won their first matchup against Haverford, 2-0, before falling in overtime to Ursinus, 3-2. According to the Centennial Conference Preseason Poll, the Diplomats are slated for a fourth-place finish.

SERIES HISTORY
The Red Hawks and the Diplomats enter the sixth installment of their series. F&M has the slight advantage with a 3-2 record against Montclair.

LAST MEETING
These two teams met last season on Sprague Field on September 14, where Montclair edged Franklin and Marshall, 2-1.   

UP NEXT
Montclair will remain on the road where they will visit Vassar on Wednesday, September 10, for a 6:00 p.m. game start.