For the first time since 2005, the Wesleyan field hockey team is hosting a playoff game. Entering the NESCAC Tournament as the #4 seed, the Cardinals (11-4, 6-4 NESCAC) play host to #5 seed Bates (10-5, 6-4 NESCAC) on Saturday at 1:00 PM from Hicks Field in the NESCAC Tournament Quarterfinal round.
 
After enjoying one of the best regular seasons in team history, the Cardinals are ranked No. 10 nationally for the first time in program history heading into the NESCAC Tournament. The 11 regular season wins are tied for the most in team history, which has only been accomplished one other time (2004). The six NESCAC wins are also tied for the most in team history, with the only other six league win seasons coming in 2000 and 2004.
 
Wesleyan heads into the postseason riding a three-game win streak as the Cardinals defeated Bowdoin (3-2 in OT) and Conn. College (5-1) on the road while taking down Colby (4-2) on Senior Day last Saturday. Three of the four losses for Wesleyan this season have come by a 2-1 scoreline and all three came against nationally ranked NESCAC opponents (Williams, Amherst, and Hamilton). Signature wins for the team on the season include home wins over Top 10 ranked teams in Bates (5-1) and Tufts (2-1) while landmark road wins came over the Polar Bears (first win at Bowdoin since 1999) and a 4-1 win at Trinity marked the first Wesleyan win over the Bantams in Hartford since 2005.
 
The Cardinals are the second-highest scoring team in the NESCAC this season at 3.3 goals per game while Wesleyan's 49 goals are already a single-season team record. On the defensive end, Wesleyan allows 1.80 goals per game (6^th-best in the NESCAC) while the team's save percentage of .752 ranks third-best in the conference. The team has generated 129 penalty corners on the season, tied for third-most in the NESCAC, and converts those chances into goals roughly 18 percent of the time, a stat that ranks Top 5 nationally.
 
Leading the Cardinal offense is Georgia Adams '26 as the junior forward has 12 goals and six assists, leading the team in both categories, giving her 30 points through 15 games this season. Adams ranks fourth in the NESCAC in goals, eighth in assists, and fourth in points this season.
 
Kenzie Kelly '25 has broken out in 2024, establishing career-highs in goals (seven) and points (16) as she moved well past her previous single-season career-high of two goals. Helen Deretchin '25 has four goals and four assists for 12 points in 13 games played while Kenzie Mauro '27 has 11 points (four goals, three assists), giving the team four players with 10+ points.
 
Balanced scoring has been a key factor in the team's highest-scoring season ever, as 13 Cardinals have scored at least once while 11 have registered at least two goals on the year.
 
Defensively, the Cardinals have started a first-year Natalie Shaw '28 at center back all throughout the season while Imani Ochieng '25 is a steady presence at right back, as the 2023 All-NESCAC and All-Region First Team selection is playing rock solid defensively and a threat on penalty corners as she ranks second on the team in shots (28).  
 
All-American goalkeeper Audrey Pace '26 has started all 15 games in net for Wesleyan and sports a .763 save percentage with 71 saves in 798+ minutes played with a 1.65 goals against average. Pace ranks third in the NESCAC in save percentage while her 71 saves are second-most in the conference.
 
Back in the NESCAC Tournament for a second straight year, the Cardinals are looking for their first postseason win since 2005 as Wesleyan is just 2-14 all-time in the NESCAC Tournament. This will be just the third NESCAC Tournament game played at home for Wesleyan and the first since 2005. The Cardinals are 2-1 all-time in the NESCAC Tournament when playing at home.