NORTHAMPTON, Mass.--The Smith College field hockey team (7-8, 2-4 NEWMAC) can take another step closer to qualification to the NEWMAC postseason tournament when the Pioneers travel to Clark University (9-5, 2-4 NEWMAC) on Saturday afternoon.

Last Meeting:  Smith snapped a 22 game, nearly three game NEWMAC winless streak with a 4-3 overtime win over the Cougars on October 9, 2011.  Smith held a 3-1 lead with 20 minutes to play before Clark tied it up to force overtime.  Stein bagged the winner six minutes into the first overtime period.

Smith Overview: The Pioneers fell in a closer-than-it-looks 5-1 loss to No. 15 Amherst College on Thursday night.  With the score tied at one at halftime, the Jeffs scored three times in two minutes to break open the game.

Clark Overview: The Cougars have won three in a row, including consecutive league wins over WPI and Mount Holyoke that kept Clark in the playoff hunt. 

Smith Player to Watch:  Allie Stein (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer) set up Smith's goal against Amherst, giving her 17 assists on the season.  One more assist this year and she will set a new single season record for assists in a year, breaking the record set by Megan McCusker '93.

Clark Player to Watch: Mel Melkonian is Clark's biggest threat, scoring 26 goals and setting up eight.  Melkonian is the nation's second leading scorer, and is third in total points.

Playoff Permutations: Smith, Clark, and Mount Holyoke are in a three way tie with 2-4 league records.  WPI is a half-game behind at 2-5.  Clark currently holds the tiebreaker over Mount Holyoke, and the Lyons hold a tiebreaker over Smith thanks to their victory over Smith on September 15.  MHC hosts Springfield College on Saturday, so a Smith win will go a long way towards returning the Pioneers to the postseason for the first time since 2008.