No. 7 Field Hockey vs. No. 4 Williams
Sunday, September 7 | 1 p.m.
MacDowell Field | Babson Park, Mass.

SERIES HISTORY
• Sunday's game between Babson and Williams will be just the fourth career meeting between the two programs, with the first three games in the past three years all decided by one goal.
• The visiting team won the first two games as the Ephs edged the Beavers 3-2 in 2022 in Babson Park, and the Green and White took the 2023 meeting in Williamstown, 2-1.
• The Purple and Gold pulled ahead 2-1 in the series with an overtime victory last fall at Williams.

LAST MEETING
• Senior Pilar Torres scored the only goal of the game 2:50 into overtime to help No. 8 Williams defeat No. 3 Babson, 1-0, on September 8, 2024 at Williamson Field. 
• Goalkeeper Bayla Furmanek '25 made a season-high nine saves for the Beavers, who were outshot 22-9 on the day.
• Senior Kiki Higgins recorded an assist and sophomore Ellie Smith made three saves for the Ephs.

SCOUTING THE BEAVERS
• Babson (2-0) opened the season with a pair of one-goal victories over Endicott (4-3) on August 29 and No. 22 Swarthmore (2-1) last Sunday at MacDowell Field.
• After recording her first career hat trick in the win at Endicott, sophomore Penny Baroni had a part in both scores with a goal and an assist in the victory over Swarthmore. Senior Caroline DiGiovanni scored goals in both games for the Green and White.
• Both Beaver goalies made their first career start as senior Josie Ashton earned the victory against Endicott with one save and first-year Madison Tibbals made seven saves in the win over Swarthmore.
• The Green and White have just four returning starters from last year's team but have 20 veterans on the squad.

SCOUTING THE EPHS
• Williams improved to 2-0 on the season with an impressive 3-1 victory at No. 2 Tufts on Saturday afternoon in Medford.
• Higgins scored a pair of goals and junior Claire Colvin added one in the victory for the Ephs , who got three saves from Smith. Junior Laura Ryan tallied a pair of goals in the season-opening win over Union.
• Smith, who has needed to make just three saves in her two wins this season, recorded her first shutout and eighth of her career against Union.
• The Ephs finished 16-4 last season after falling to No. 4 Tufts in a shootout in the NESCAC semifinals and against to the Jumbos two weeks later in overtime in the NCAA Tournament semifinals.

OLD FACES, NEW FACES
• After losing eight starters from last year's team, the Green and White have six players back that started at least one game last season.
• Among the 10 Babson players that have played in both games this season are a pair of newcomers, first-year Anna Bonazzoli and graduate student Grace Mullaney, who played 16 games at Boston University last year.

NEWMAC WEEKLY HONOR
• Baroni was tabbed the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Field Hockey Offensive Athlete of the Week Tuesday afternoon for the first week of the fall season.
• The Beaver sophomore had a goal and an assist in the season-opening win at Endicott and produced her first career hat trick in the victory over Swarthmore 

NFHCA RECOGNITION
• Baroni also recorded national recognition after her performance on opening weekend when she earned National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division III Player of the Year.
• Baroni is first Babson national player of the week selection since November 1, 2023, when Jackie Hill M'24 was named NFHCA Offensive Player of the Week.
• DiGiovanno and Baroni were named to the 2025 NFHCA Division III Watchlist last month, which showcases field hockey student-athletes with the strongest potential for consideration to this year's NFHCA All-Region and All-American teams.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
• Babson is 12-1 at home since the beginning of last season and has won 50 of its last 55 home games since 2021.
• Eight of the last 12 wins and 16 of the last 26 home victories have come by way of the shutout.
• The Green and White outscored their opponents 59-6 at MacDowell Field last season.

MEET THE NESCAC
• Sunday's match-up is the first of five Babson games this season vs. teams from the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC).
• The Beavers will also face No. 1 Middlebury on September 14, No. 2 Tufts on September 17, Trinity of September 28, and No. 24 Bowdoin on October 14.
• The Green and White were 3-4 against the NESCAC last season and are 17-10 versus the conference going back to 2021.

NUMBERS TO KNOW
• Babson has won 34 games in a row since 2023 when scoring at least two goals.
• The Beavers have won nine of the past 13 games since 2023 in games decided by one goal.
• The Green and White has won 76 of the 78 games since 2021 after scoring the first goal of the game.
• Since the start of the 2021 season, Babson is 72-2 when the opponent doesn't score more than one goal.

UP NEXT
• The Beavers will make their first road trip of the season with a visit to Saint Josph's (Maine) on Wednesday at 5 p.m.