Gwynedd Valley, Pa. – (8/5/2025) – Now, less than a month from the first competition of 2025, Gwynedd Mercy University Head Field Hockey Coach
Alexa Ostoich has officially unveiled the 2025 schedule, "We are so excited to officially release our 2025 season schedule. Our team has been working hard in the offseason, and we are looking forward to taking on a competitive slate of opponents." In parting, Coach Ostoich emphasized, "Each match-up is a new opportunity to grow, compete, and represent the Red and Gold with pride. We cannot wait to get started!"
Gwynedd Mercy University Head Coach
Alexa Ostoich and her staff directed the Griffins to 4-14 overall finish and a 2-2 league mark that garnered them the 2024 Atlantic East Conference (AEC) Field Hockey Coaching Staff of the Year award, as well as earned the Red and Gold the #3 seed for the 2024 AEC Field Hockey Championship Tournament. Unfortunately, a tightly-played semifinal was decided by a second-quarter score (1-0, 24:34) that advanced #2 Immaculata University to the league championship. Four Griffins earned recognition on the All-AEC roster as First Team recognition for
Laura Filchner '25 was accompanied by Second Team honors for
Mackenzie Reed (Philadelphia, Pa.),
Lillie Uttenreither (Bel Air, Md.), and freshman goalkeeper
Kelly Weaver (Flemington, N.J.).
The 2025 Gwynedd Mercy University field hockey season begins on Friday, August 29, when the Griffins welcome Misericordia University to the Athletic Complex for a 7:00 p.m. home opener. The Griffins and Cougars will open their season against each other for the fourth time in as many years; Misericordia University has won each of the last three season-openers by a combined total of 9-1. In 2024, the Griffins found most of their success after halftime as they totaled three of their five shots in the third quarter of a 4-0 (Aug. 30) loss. Reed offered two (34:06, 39:30) of her team-high three shots in that frame, while
Morgan Lawless '25 totaled six saves in the loss (0-1). Gwynedd Mercy University is 7-19 all-time against Misericordia University.
The Griffins – who are home for their first seven contests of 2025 – then serve as host to Delaware Valley University for a September-3 (4:00 p.m.) contest. The Aggies controlled the 2024 affair, using a 20-4 shot advantage to fuel a 5-1 (Sept. 4) win. Reed played spoiler for the Griffins, netting the Red and Gold's lone goal of the contest in the 52nd minute (5-1, 51:45). In goal, Lawless (1-2) made five saves in the opening 38:18, while Weaver recorded two saves in the final 21:42. Gwynedd Mercy University is 12-8 all-time against Delaware Valley University.
The 2025 opening home stand continues with dates versus Elmira College (Sept. 6, 12:00 p.m.), Arcadia University (Sept. 10, 7:00 p.m.), Eastern University (Sept. 13, 3:00 p.m.), Cedar Crest College (Sept. 17, 7:00 p.m.), and Ramapo College (Sept. 20, 12:00 p.m.)
A 10-0 (Sept. 7) victory on the 2024 schedule, Gwynedd Mercy University welcomes Elmira College to campus on September 6 (12:00 p.m.).
Emma Dodd (Philadelphia, Pa.) scored all three of her goals (14:58, 47:24, 56:25) in the 2024 contest and several other Griffins marked individual bests as Gwynedd Mercy University defeated Elmira College by a 10-0 final. The Griffins recorded their highest goal-total since October 14, 2017 (W, 10-0 at Cedar Crest College) as they out-shot the Eagles 35-2. Lawless earned her second shutout win (2-2) of the season with a single save. Elmira College will look for revenge as the 2025 meeting marks only the second contest between the Griffins and Eagles.
Gwynedd Mercy University scored the first goal of the 2024 contest at Arcadia University on a Filchner strike just two minutes into the contest; 1-0 (2:08). Unfortunately, the Knights answered the Griffins' tally twice over in the first quarter (11:10, 12:30) and outscored the Red and Gold by a 5-1 margin the rest of the way of an eventual 7-2 final.
Ashley Berry '25 scored her first goal of the season in the 45th minute (6-2, 44:46), while Lawless (2-5) made all six of the Griffins' saves in the opening 52:53. Gwynedd Mercy University owns a 10-9 all-time record against Arcadia University.
The Red and Gold last met Eastern University in 2023 (Sept. 13), when the Eagles topped the Griffins by a 3-2 measure. Eastern University was 5-13 overall and 0-7 in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Commonwealth last year. All-time, Gwynedd Mercy University is 4-14 against Eastern University.
In 2024, Filchner put the first Griffin goal on the scoreboard against Cedar Crest College with her first-quarter score (1-0, 6:35). Additional Gwynedd Mercy University goals came in the 45
th (44:04) and 55
th (54:33) minutes of the 3-0 triumph that saw the Red and Gold own a 20-3 shooting advantage and an 8-4 edge in penalty corners. Lawless earned her first shutout (1-1) of the season with three saves. All-time, Gwynedd Mercy University is 21-3 against the Falcons.
The last opponent of the home stand – Ramapo College - last played Gwynedd Mercy University in 2010 (W, 3-1 on Oct. 9); it was their only meeting with the Red and Gold. The Roadrunners were 3-15 overall and 0-6 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) last year.
A September-24 (7:00 p.m.) date at Moravian University marks the Griffins first road contest of 2025. Gwynedd Mercy University scored first (1-0, 9:04) in the 2024 meeting, but Greyhounds struck back in the 28
th minute; 1-1 (27:47), leaving a tightly-played contest to reach overtime. There, with just 2:24 remaining, Moravian University converted the fourth of four consecutive corners to steal the victory; 2-1 (67:36). Weaver totaled three saves in the loss (0-2). Gwynedd Mercy University is 3-7 all-time against the Greyhounds.
On September 27 (2:00 p.m.), Gwynedd Mercy University visits Hood College for the first time since 2006 (W, 4-1 on Oct. 7). The Griffins will look to remain perfect against the Mustangs, who also lost a 2004 (W, 6-0 on Oct. 9) meeting to the Red and Gold. Hood College was 9-9 and 2-5 in the MAC Commonwealth last season.
The next two road contests mark the beginning of October as Gwynedd Mercy University travels to Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) – Florham (Oct. 1, 7:00 p.m.) and Albright College (Oct. 4, 11:00 a.m.) before closing their non-conference schedule with an October-8 (4:00 p.m.) contest versus Lebanon Valley College. The last will serve as the Griffins' METAvivor Game; during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Griffins will be partnering with METAvivor to fight for women and men living with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer.
Uttenreither scored her first collegiate goal just two minutes into the 2024 (Oct. 2) contest versus the Devils; 1-0 (2:00). FDU-Florham answered in the 10
th minute (1-1, 9:38), of a back-and-forth contest that also saw Avellino put the Red and Gold back ahead in the 11
th minute (2-1, 10:15), the Devils even the score in the 28
th minute (2-2, 27:57), and grab a 4-2 advantage, before Berry found Filchner in the 54
th minute (4-3 53:31) of a 4-3 final. Weaver was outstanding in goal as she totaled a season-high 14 saves in the loss (0-4). Gwynedd Mercy University is 5-8 all-time against FDU-Florham.
The October-4 contest at Albright College will be the second engagement between head coach sisters; Gwynedd Mercy University
Alexa Ostoich and the Lions' Catherine (Ostoich) Wiese. Albright College won the 2024 meeting by a 3-0 final; Avellino, Filchner, and Reed took two apiece for the Griffins, while Lawless made four saves in the loss (2-3). Gwynedd Mercy University is 1-4 all-time against the Lions.
The Dutchmen scored two goals in the second (20:24, 29:00) and third (33:21, 44:55) quarters of a 5-0, 2024 final. The Griffins totaled three shots while Weaver recorded her second straight performance of 10 saves or more with 11 in the loss (0-5). Gwynedd Mercy University is 2-7 all-time against Lebanon Valley College.
Gwynedd Mercy University was 2-2 against their conference foes in 2024 thanks to home wins over Neumann University (W, 5-0 on Oct. 19) and Manhattanville College (W, 2-1 on Oct. 30). In 2025, the Griffins will host Marywood University (Oct. 11, 3:00 p.m.) and Immaculata University (Oct. 25, 12:00 p.m.) between road games with the Knights (Oct. 22, 4:00 p.m.) and Valiants (Oct. 29, 7:00 p.m.).
The 2025 AEC season begins on Saturday, October 11, with a 3:00 p.m. contest versus Marywood University. In 2024 (Oct. 26), the Griffins cut into an early 2-0 Pacer lead with a Filchner goal in the 37
th minute (2-1, 36:43) and kept pace with Marywood University with a late Reed score; 3-2 (50:49). Unfortunately, the Red and Gold were denied their comeback as the Pacers added an insurance tally in the 53
rd minute; 4-2 (52:48). Weaver made five saves in the loss (0-8). Gwynedd Mercy University is 20-9 all-time against Marywood University.
A seven-point (3 goals, 1 assist) performance from Reed was the headline of Gwynedd Mercy University's 5-0, 2024 (Oct. 19) victory over Neumann University. Reed followed an opening Filchner tally (1-0, 21:16) with her first (2-0, 32:57) of three goals in the contest; she also assisted on Filchner's second score (3-0, 37:20) before netting the final two Griffin goals (42:54, 59:19) of the game; 5-0. Gwynedd Mercy University outshot Neumann University 16-4, while Lawless made one save and earned the win (3-5) in her final collegiate start. The Griffins are 26-6 all-time against the Knights.
The Griffins and Mighty Macs have played extremely competitive field hockey over the past two seasons, but Immaculata University has seen the better end of the results with wins in each of the last five meetings. The 2024 regular-season meeting saw the Mighty Macs defeat the Griffins 3-0 despite a five-save effort from Weaver (0-7) and scoring chances for Dodd (11:36) and
Keleigh Clausius (Landenberg, Pa.) (34:07). Despite Immaculata University's recent success, Gwynedd Mercy University is 26-6 all-time against the Mighty Macs. The October-25 (12:00 p.m.) contest will also serve as Senior Day for Dodd, Reed,
Abby LePage (Cinnaminson, N.J.), and
Ayana Lyons (Norristown, Pa.).
In a frantic 37th minute, Gwynedd Mercy University answered Manhattanville College's game-tying goal (1-1, 36:08) with a game-winner (2-1, 36:28) from
Allyssa Seifert (Philadelphia, Pa.). The victory secured the Red and Gold the #3 seed for the 2024 AEC Championship Tournament. Reed scored the initial Gwynedd Mercy University tally (1-0, 17:36) and totaled a team-high 11 shots, while Weaver earned her first collegiate win (1-8) with a single save. The Griffins host the Valiants for their 2025 regular-season finale on Wednesday, October 30 (7:00 p.m.); they are 3-0 all-time against Manhattanville College.
The 2025 AEC Field Hockey Championship is scheduled for Saturday, November 8 with semifinals scheduled for Saturday, November 1.
