Game Notes • Harvard: Live Stats | Live Video • Delaware: Live Stats • GoNU.com Midseason Report (9/26)

For the fourth week in a row, Northeastern has been recognized as one of the nation's top-10 teams, this week coming in the Penn Monto / NFHCA Coaches Poll at No. 8. The Huskies look to maintain their winning momentum in the thick of a four-game road swing when they step outside of CAA play on Wednesday for a cross-town showdown with Harvard at 7 p.m. in Cambridge. Northeastern then turns around to travel to Newark, Del., for a bout with CAA foe Delaware at 7 p.m. on Friday. The Huskies are looking to improve to 10-2 this season during the week, which would be the most successful start since 2005 (13-1).

Last Time Out
Northeastern had just one game last weekend, but made it count.The Huskies traveled to James Madison for their third conference matchup this season. Lindsay Bennett started things off for the Huskies scoring just six minutes into the game. Down 2-1 just before halftime, however, Crystal Poland drag flicked the game-tying score with 0:00 left on the clock in the first. With no score in the second half, the game went to overtime - the Huskies' third overtime game this season. But just 1:11 into the frame, Poland struck again, putting the game away in exciting fashion, 3-2.

Won by One
Of Northeastern's eight wins this season, six victories have come by just one goal. Dating back to the 2010, the Huskies have won 25 games by just one goal, out of 32 wins.

Why the High RPI?
The Huskies' RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) comes in at No. 4 this week, for a variety of reasons - most of which deal with the strength of schedule (currently nine opponents sit in the top-25). NU is performing well, but they key to success has been doing so on the road. With only two home games under their belts, the Huskies are one of just 10 teams (out of 79) that have only played twice at home.

Stealing Harvard
Harvard enters the week with a 3-6 record, but the Crimson are winners of two of their last three contests, behind a 4-1 win over Bryant a 1-0 shutout victory over Brown. The Crimson are led on offense by both Noel Painter and Caitlin Rea. The sophomore pair have combined for 15 points this season, including Painter's four goals and Rea's team-best four assists.

The primary backstop for Harvard is junior Cynthia Tassopoulos who has drawn a 3-4 mark this season. Tassopoulos has been solid in the cage for the Crimson, though, allowing just 1.67 goals per game while accumulating 7.71 saves per game for an .818 save percentage.

This will be the 37th meeting between Harvard and Northeastern. The Huskies own a 23-13 record over the Crimson and have claimed the last three episodes of the series.

Fightin' the Blue Hens
Delaware has had on-and-off success this season, but the Blue Hens (4-9, 0-2 CAA) are currently on a three-game losing streak. Eight of UD's 13 opponents so far have been ranked, including three in the top-10 (then No. 1 North Carolina, then-No. 2 Princeton and then No. 8 Old Dominion). Delaware is led on offense by a slew of Blue Hens; Kelsey McKee and Michaela Patzner both have five goals apiece for 12 and 11 points, respectively. Nikki Onorato is close behind with four goals of her own.

In the cage, Sarah Scher and Megane Simons have both split time, but UD has relied heavily on Scher with her 10 starts. The has 57 saves this season and a 4-6 record.

Northeastern owns a 16-5 record over Delaware in the series history, including a 4-2 win last season in Boston.

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