College Field Hockey: Rider’s Penas NEC Co-Player of the Week

SOMERSET — Junior Sandra Penas (Barcelona, Spain) of the Rider University field hockey team, was named the Northeast Conference Co-Player of the Week, it was announced Monday afternoon (Oct. 22).

Penas, along with Michelle Pieczynski (Monmouth) were honored for all games played Oct. 15-21.

The NEC Offensive Player of the Year as a sophomore after earning NEC Rookie of the Year honors as a freshman, Penas had three goals this past week as Rider (11-5, 4-1 NEC) posted wins over Siena College and Bryant University.

The junior forward rattled the cage in the ninth minute against Siena, sending the Broncs on their way to a 3-0 lead in the eventual 3-1 triumph on Oct. 19.

On Sunday, Penas single-handedly staked Rider to a 2-0 advantage against Bryant before the game was even eight minutes old.  Penas tipped one past the Bulldogs’ keeper off a corner play in the sixth minute and added a second tally only 1:32 later in the 4-2 win as Rider clinched a playoff berth for the 13th straight season.

This is the third time this season that Penas has earned NEC Player of the Week honors, having been recognized on Sept. 17 and Oct. 1.

Penas leads the NEC in points (32) and is second in the conference with 13 goals. 

Penas is now sixth on Rider's all-time scoring list with 116 points (47g, 22a).

Winners of 22 of 23 games at Ben Cohen Field on the Lawrenceville campus, Rider completes the regular season with two NEC home games against first place Saint Francis (Pa.) Oct. 26 (7 p.m.) and Monmouth on Oct. 28 at 3 p.m.  The Red Flash enter the game 5-0 in the NEC with the Hawks tied with Rider for second place at 4-1.

Rider will honor its four graduating seniors, Jackie Adams (Medford Lakes/Shawnee), Gabby Burgo (Collingswood), Ellie LaBar (Oaklyn/Collingswood) and Marlaine Schneider (Feasterville, Pa./Neshaminy) prior to the Monmouth game on Sunday.

The conference regular season champion will host the playoffs Nov. 2-3.