PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – An exciting array of Pace University athletic contests highlight the first official weekend of the school year with the football, volleyball, and men's and women's cross country teams competing in road action, as women's soccer holds down the fort from Pleasantville.
 
WOMEN'S SOCCER
 
Pace (2-1-2) vs. Saint Anselm (4-0) | 7 p.m. | Pace Stadium | Live Video | Live Stats
 
The Pace University women's soccer team begins NE10 play at home against undefeated Saint Anselm College on Saturday at 7 p.m. It will be the first of 12 consecutive conference games for both squads.
 
The Setters defeated Jefferson University, 2-1, on Wednesday night, off a pair of Ava Viebrock (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./John Jay Senior) first-half scores. The freshman ranks first in the league in both points and goals to start the season, with seven and three respectively.
 
Senior Cecilia Puentes (Garwood, N.J./Arthur L Johnson) is Pace's other multi-goal scorer with two of her own.
 
The Skyhawks enter Pace Stadium winners of four in a row and ranked fourth in the United Soccer Coaches' East Region poll. Three Skyhawks lead the team with two goals apiece: junior Olivia Gotobed, sophomore Josie Pecor, and freshman Kayli Porter.
 
Saint Anselm is tied for the conference lead in goals scored with 11, while Pace is right behind with 10. Saint Anselm has conceded only two goals in four games, while Pace has allowed eight in five games.
 
The first two NE10 Defensive Player of the Week recipients will also be on the pitch: this week's recipient, Saint Anselm freshman Addie Birkett, and last week's, Pace junior Shannon Selvaggio (Warwick, N.Y./Warwick Valley).

FOOTBALL
 
Pace (1-0) at Bentley (0-1) | 4 p.m. | Live Video | Live Stats
 
Following an impressive 31-16 season-opening home win over East Stroudsburg, the Blue and Gold head to the Old Colony State to face Bentley University on Saturday at 4 p.m. in a non-conference game between two Northeast-10 Conference members.
 
The two will also conclude their respective seasons on Nov. 12 in Pleasantville in what will be an official NE10 game.
 
Pace started the year in electrifying form. A Ramir Tann-Davis (Paterson, N.J./Paterson Eastside) 92-yard opening kickoff return touchdown, was followed by a Leonardo Lopez (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) forced fumble and recovery on the ensuing kickoff, before a Carlton Aiken (Gibbstown, N.J./Paulsboro) touchdown pass to Teddy Harper (East Orange, N.J./Depaul Catholic) put Pace up 14 points. Only 72 seconds had ticked off the game clock.
 
The Setters cruised the rest of the way, leading by as much as 31-6 in the fourth quarter.
 
The Falcons, meanwhile, erased a 14-point first-half deficit last Friday, eventually taking a 16-14 lead in the third quarter before succumbing to a late field goal and losing their season-opener to West Chester, 17-16, on the road.
 
VOLLEYBALL
 
Pace (1-5) at Chestnut Hill (1-7) | Noon | Live Video | Live Stats
 
Playing their final contest in a seven-game road stretch to open the season, the Pace volleyball squad will look to make it two wins in a row when they travel to Philadelphia to take on Chestnut Hill College on Saturday at noon.
 
The Setters picked up their first win in dominant fashion, toppling Georgian Court, 3-0, on Tuesday night.
 
The Blue and Gold sweep was highlighted by Georgette Cosentino's (Scarsdale, N.Y./The Ursuline School) 35 assists and 15 digs. Senior Brielle Jones (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Palm Beach Gardens) racked up 11 kills and eight digs, while juniors Madisen Lupica (Buchanon, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) and Jada Screen (Suwanee, Ga./North Gwinnett) totaled 17 combined kills for the Setters.
 
The Griffins enter the contest having lost six in a row.
 
Pace is 7-0 all-time against Chestnut Hill.
 
CROSS COUNTRY
 
Men's and Women's Cross Country compete in the Purchase College Invitational 
 
The Setter cross country teams head to Purchase, N.Y., to compete in the Purchase College Invitational on Saturday at 9:30 a.m.
 
In last week's Adelphi Panthers Invitational, the women finished 13^th overall in their 5K, led by Meryl Mizell's (Round Rock, Texas/Stony Point) 49^th place finish. The sophomore was followed closely on the team by Molly Darfler-Sweeney (Tannersville, N.Y./Hunter-Tannersville) in 52^nd place. In total, five women's runners placed in the race.
 
The men's team finished 14^th overall in their 8K paced by team captain CJ Defeo's (East Patchogue, N.Y./Patchogue Medford) 67th-place finish. Five additional Setters crossed the finish line for the men's team.
 
For all information regarding Pace University Athletics, log on to www.PaceUAthletics.com and follow Pace Athletics on Facebook (T-Bone, Official Mascot of Pace University Athletics), Twitter (@PaceUAthletics) and Instagram (@PaceAthletics).