Playoff berths are ready to be clinched for Muhlenberg teams on the second-to-last weekend of the regular season for most sports.
Field Hockey vs. Gettysburg (Friday, 7:00)
Muhlenberg will celebrate its nine seniors – Samantha Swire, Kayleigh Thies, Christine Germaske, Lauren Jordan, Sierra Lenker, Ray Gallagher, Meghan Gill, Allie Califano and Heather Porrini (left to right below) – before taking on Gettysburg in its final Centennial Conference home game of the season.
The seniors have led the transformation of a program that was 2-14 the year before they arrived to one that is receiving votes in the national poll, is regionally ranked by the NCAA and is on the verge of clinching a CC playoff berth.
The Mules (10-3, 6-2) are tied in the loss column with McDaniel for third place in the CC and can earn a spot in the playoff field with a win and the right combination of results on Saturday. With first-place Ursinus looming in the regular-season finale next Saturday, this game is an important one for Muhlenberg to win.
Gettysburg (4-9, 2-5) has struggled this season, its only CC wins coming against Swarthmore and Bryn Mawr, who are both winless.
Gettysburg leads the all-time series, 17-7, and had won five meetings in a row before Muhlenberg’s dramatic 3-2 victory – on a goal by Califano with 23.3 seconds remaining – last year.
Football vs. Juniata (Saturday, 1:00)
Two of the top quarterbacks in the CC will be on display as Muhlenberg plays at home for the second week in a row.
The Mules’ Nick Palladino leads the CC in touchdown passes (11) and leads all NCAA quarterbacks in pass attempts without an interception (195). Juniata’s Ward Udinski is on pace to become the first player in CC history to lead his team in rushing and passing all four years.
Muhlenberg (5-1, 4-1) has done a good job on Udinski the last three years, holding him to 32 rushes for 68 yards and 59-115 passing for 569 yards with six interceptions and only one TD.
Juniata (3-3, 2-3) had a breakout season last year, going 7-4 and earning an ECAC bowl bid, but started slowly this season. The Eagles announced their presence last week, however, rolling past previously undefeated Ursinus, 38-10. The Mules are coming off their own big win, 47-6 against a hot Gettysburg team.
Muhlenberg leads the all-time series, 9-0, and has won all seven meetings by at least two touchdowns since Juniata joined the CC in 2007.
Service Electric will broadcast the game live on Channel 50, and the replay will be on Channel 2 on Sunday at 4:00.
Women’s Soccer at Gettysburg (Saturday, 1:00)
Coming off a road win against a regionally ranked opponent, Muhlenberg will get a crack at another one.
Gettysburg (10-3-1, 6-0-1) is ranked fifth in the Mid-Atlantic Region by the NCAA and has allowed only one goal in CC action this season. The Bullets come in with a six-game winning streak, although four of the six wins were by a single goal.
The Mules (10-3-2, 6-2) have won four in a row and are alone in third place in the CC. They can clinch their third straight playoff berth with a win or a tie. Muhlenberg has been stingy as well, allowing only one goal during its current streak.
Gettysburg leads the all-time series, 16-7-2, and has won the last four meetings, all by shutout.
Volleyball at Gettysburg (Saturday, 1:00); vs. Messiah (Saturday, 3:00)
Muhlenberg (22-4, 6-2) and Gettysburg (18-8, 5-2) are two of the three teams (along with Johns Hopkins) tied in the loss column for third place in the CC, making this a very important match.
The Mules, ranked sixth in the Mid-Atlantic Region, have dropped their last two CC matches but can clinch a playoff berth with a won. The Bullets, who have made the CC tournament every year there’s been one, have won three in a row, including a five-set thriller at McDaniel on Wednesday.
Gettysburg leads the all-time series, 26-3, but Muhlenberg won last year’s meeting in four sets. The Mules have never defeated the Bullets at Gettysburg.
The second match pits Muhlenberg against Messiah (21-6), which is ranked ninth in the region and had won 10 in a row before getting swept by Lebanon Valley on Wednesday.
Live stats/video (both matches)
Men’s Soccer at Johns Hopkins (Saturday, 5:00)
Two regionally ranked opponents will square off when Muhlenberg travels to Baltimore to play at its least favorite CC site.
The Mules (9-1-2, 4-1-1) are ranked fourth in the Mid-Atlantic Region and 13th nationally by D3soccer.com. A win would give them double digits in victories for the eighth straight year and, more importantly, clinch a playoff berth.
Johns Hopkins (8-4-2, 2-3-1), ranked sixth in the region, is winless in its last three CC games, but the two losses were one-goal setbacks to nationally ranked CC co-leaders Franklin & Marshall and Dickinson.
Since the start of CC play in 1993, Muhlenberg has not defeated Johns Hopkins at Homewood Field, although most of the games have been close. The Mules’ last three trips have resulted in two scoreless draws and a 1-0 loss. The Blue Jays lead the all-time series, 16-11-3, and won last year’s meeting, 3-1.