DOBBS FERRY, N.Y.--For the first time all season, the American International College Field Hockey team will play away from home as they pay a visit to the Mercy College Mavericks.

LAST TIME OUT:The Yellow Jackets offense erupted in a big way as AIC scored two goals in each half in a 4-1 victory over then-7th ranked Adelphi at Abdow Field on Saturday. Junior midfielder Payton Montague got the ball rolling in the twenty-first minute with her first of the season, punching in a ball that deflected to her off of junior forward Liv Magni. Senior forward Taylor Ruscillo doubled the AIC lead in the twenty-eighth minute by winning a battle for the ball on the left side of the net and beating the goalkeeper. In the second frame, Montague tallied again in the forty-third minute to expand the lead to 3-0, and senior forward Emma Heroth closed out AIC's scoring in the sixtieth minute with a lofted shot on a pass from freshman midfielder Jenny Holmquist. Adelphi broke the shutout shortly after, but sophomore Taylor Ross still had a strong day in goal, notching five saves for her third win of the season.

Mercy scored late in each half to even their season record at 1-1 with a 2-0 victory over Limestone on September 4. Jackie Ballin broke a scoreless deadlock in the twenty-eighth minute of the half by finishing off a penalty corner for her first of the year, and in the fifty-ninth minute, Alicia Williams scored off of a corner as well for the 2-0 edge. Limestone actually held a 9-5 shots on goal advantage, but seven saves by goalkeeper Julia Amell and a pair of defensive saves by Rachel Gumowski and Kayly Bryan--who also had an assist in the game--kept the Mavericks net free of goals.

LAST TIME THEY MET:Ruscillo netted a pair of goals as AIC closed out the 2015 season with a 2-1 win over Mercy in Springfield on October 31 of last year. She opened the scoring in a first half that saw the Jackets outshoot Mercy 15-0 with a goal in the twenty-ninth minute on a penalty corner, and then doubled the lead on a breakaway in the forty-fourth minute. Amell countered with a goal in the fifty-third minute, but the Jackets held on from there, with senior back Lizz Moulton blocking a late chance to preserve the Senior Day win for Erin Maroney '16.

DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN: Three years ago to the day, AIC paid a visit to Mercy and earned a 3-1 victory. Jenna Masionis '15, Erica McLean '16, and Kaylin Harbin '16 each scored in the win, and Kori Huffman '15 made three saves on four shots, losing the shutout bid with under a minute in regulation.

A SHOT AT PERFECTION:AIC and Mercy had never played each other prior to that 2013 matchup, with the Mavericks' Field Hockey program being founded in 2010. However, the teams are now meeting for the fourth year in a row. AIC has won each of the prior meetings, so the Class of 2017 has a chance to post a perfect 4-0 mark against Mercy with a win.

NATIONAL FIELD HOCKEY DAY:Today is the fifth annual National Field Hockey Day, as sponsored by USA Field Hockey. AIC is 2-0 in games played on National Field Hockey Day, with the above-noted win over Mercy and a 5-0 victory over Dowling in 2014.

NEXT UP:AIC opens Northeast-10 Conference play with a visit to the Nutmeg State as they take on Southern Connecticut State University in a 4:00 p.m. matchup on Saturday, September 17.