There will be a homecoming atmosphere when the University of Maine’s field hockey team plays its home opener on alumni weekend against Bryant University (R.I.) at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Bryant University coach Shaunessy Saucier is an Old Town High School Hall-of-Famer and a former Black Bear All-America East performer.
And there are 13 Maine natives on the two rosters: Maine has nine and Bryant has four.
Five of the 13 are Skowhegan High School graduates: Maine’s Jessica Skillings, Nicole Sevey and Adriana Martineau and Bryant’s Megan Hancock and Mikayla Fitzmaurice.
There will be an alumni game following the Maine-Bryant contest.
Maine is 1-5 and is looking to snap a five-game losing streak. Three of the losses were to nationally ranked teams Stanford, Michigan State and UMass.
Bryant is 2-4 but has won its last two.
Saucier assisted Maine coach Josette Babineau for one season.
“I learned a lot from Josette. It’s exciting [to return]. We’re going to stop for lobster on the way up so the girls can have a full Maine experience,” said Saucier, whose Bulldogs lost a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime decision to Maine a year ago.
“Shaunessy has done a great job with that program,” said Babineau. “They always compete and play very hard.”
Saucier’s mother, Dodi, is the field hockey coach at Orono High and her sister, Liz, coaches at Bangor’s John Bapst High.
Babineau and Saucier said the crowd at last year’s game was the best of the season and created a great atmosphere.
“It was very emotional because a lot of the girls played with each other in high school and now they’re playing against each other. The game draws a lot of attention from high school coaches and players in the state,” said Babineau, whose team will be bolstered by the return of forward Holly Stewart, who missed last weekend’s 2-1 losses to Harvard and Hofstra because she was playing in a tournament for the Canadian national team.