This Friday is the Final Four and this one is going to be a good one. North Carolina, UCONN, Syracuse, and Albany are the only remaining teams in Division I, and one of them is going to be the National Champion. Last season's defending champion is looking to repeat while the top team in the nation for most of the season is eying the title. Let's take a look at the matchups.
Game #1: #4 Syracuse vs #1 North Carolina
How did they get here? Syracuse won a thrilling 2-1 game over Boston University in the round of 16, and impressively took down Penn State in the quaterfinals. North Carolina on the other hand beat Liberty and took down their rival Duke to make it to the semifinals. Both teams were impressive all season long and UNC was the #1 for much of the season, with only Louisville and Virginia beating them in the regular season. Who beat them in the ACC tournament though? Syracuse. Grab the popcorn.
Player to watch for: Junior midfielder Emma Bozek is the player to watch for the Tar Heels. She scored 15 goals this season and has had a great season. Look for the All-South region player to make a difference in Friday's game.
As for the Orange, I'm picking freshman midfielder Lieke Visser as the player to watch for. She has been tremendous all season long for the Orange and scored in their first tournament game against Boston University. Visser is truly fearless on the field, so look for her to be an impact player.
Prediction: When these two teams met in the ACC tournament it was an overtime thriller. Syracuse won the last game, so I am picking Syracuse to win this one again. Look for it to be great game though.
Game #2: #3 Connecticut vs Albany
This game looks to be exciting as the cinderella team Albany has earned their way into the final four. The Great Danes have had the toughest road to the final four with wins over #5 Wake Forest and #2 Maryland. They've faced the best, and they've beat the best. Meanwhile, Connecticut is returning to defend their national championship from last year. They have been high scoring all year and have dominated opponents.
Player to watch for: For Albany, the player to watch for is sophomore midfielder Paula Heuser. She's been on fire for the team, with 29 goals and 69 points she is an absolute beast on the field. If someone is going to lead the Great Danes to the finals, it's going to Heuser.
for UCONN, mideast region player of the year Roisin Upton is the player to watch for. She has set up so many plays for the huskies and has been an instrumental part of their great defense. Last season she was a second team all-American in the huskies championship run, so look for her to be vital in this run.
Prediction: As much as I love an underdog story, and as impressive as Albany has been so far, I have to pick Connecticut to win this one. The Huskies have been impressive all season with big wins and a lot of blowouts, so I think they are going to make the finals.
The finals:
Syracuse vs Connecticut
I'm predicting an all north east championship game between Syracuse from the ACC and Connecticut from the Big East. Both teams have been great all season, but I'm picking Connecticut to repeat as champions.
Who do you think will win? Let me know if you agree or disagree.
If you are going to the tournament enjoy it and if you are watching from afar, like a lot of us, enjoy it as well. We've got four great teams left and great stories. Let's hope that we have a final four to remember. Let me know if you are going to be there this weekend, and be sure to take as many pictures as possible and soak it all in.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Big East Conference Tournament Preview
Friday begins the Big East tournament in Providence. While Providence College has a great venue and will do a fantastic job hosting the tournament, a part of me wishes that the tournament could somehow be held in or around Madison Square Garden. In the meantime, let's enjoy the great field hockey. Providence College is hosting for the first time since 2009 and enters the tournament as the four seed. Reigning Big East and NCAA champion Connecticut is coming in as the #1 seed. On the other side of the bracket is Old Dominion and Temple, both of whom are top 20 teams. Now let's preview the tournament.
Game 1: #4 Providence vs #1 Connecticut
Providence is going to do a great job of hosting the tournament so it will be nice to see them in the tournament. The Friars made it into the tournament with a season ending 7-0 domination over Villanova. Connecticut on the other hand went undefeated in league play and has looked great all season.
Players to watch for: For the Friars, the player to watch for is senior forward Daniella Bernasconi. The senior scored 14 goals for the Friars this season and was a first team all conference selection. It's her last Big East tournament, so look for her to be a difference maker tomorrow.
Defense has been key for Connecticut all season long, so the player to watch for has to be junior Roisin Upton. Last season she was a second team all-american and has been key to the Huskies 1.16 goals against average. Look for her to be big in this tournament.
Prediction: Connecticut has been almost unstoppable this season, and their previous matchup with Providence was not even close. Look for Connecticut to roll on to the finals.
Game 2: #2 Old Dominion vs #3 Temple
#16 Temple vs #17 Old Dominion. Both teams have great offenses and have played in some great games this season. The last time these two teams played, Old Dominion won 3-2 on their home field. Now that it is at a neutral site, who will win? Either way, the fans will see a great game.
Players to watch for: 60 points is too impressive to ever ignore. Senior forward Amber Youtz for Temple is going to be huge in this tournament. The Big East offensive player of the year has been amazing all season long with 26 goals.
For Old Dominion, junior midfielder Sarah Breen is the big player to watch for. This season she's knocked in 10 goals and was named first team Big East for the third straight year. Old Dominion has had a great defense all year, so look for Breen to possibly push them over to the finals.
Prediction: Both of these teams are great and it's going to be a good game, but I have to go with Temple to win this one. They have an explosive offense and held tough against UCONN last week. Look for it to be close, but for the owls to prevail.
Finals Prediction:
Connecticut over Temple.
As great as Temple is, Connecticut ran the table in Big East play and is the defending National Champion with a top notch defense and a great offense. Look for the Huskies to repeat as conference champions.
So what do you all think? Do you see the games going another way? Let me know in the comments and enjoy the tournament! This one looks to be great and is going to provide us with a lot to enjoy and talk about this weekend (full disclosure: I graduated from a school in the Big East conference, so I will always believe it's great and amazing).
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Big 10 Conference Tournament Preview
On Thursday, the eight team Big 10 tournament gets started in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The University of Michigan has built a brand new field hockey facility in the last year and will be a good host for the tournament. The field being used is not the only thing new to the Big 10 tournament this year, with Maryland and Rutgers joining the conference. As expected, Maryland has had a strong first season in the conference and they are the top seed heading into the tournament. Now let's take a look at the bracket.
Game 1: #1 Maryland vs. #8 Ohio State
Maryland tore through conference play this season, only losing one match to Northwestern at the end of September. They have been the number two team in the country for much of the season and have been a juggernaut all season long. Ohio State on the other hand had a season with a few upset wins, but mostly a good number of losses. The Buckeyes went 6-11 this season which included a 6-0 loss to Maryland. Ohio State's chances are not great on Thursday, but crazy things can happen during conference tournaments.
Players to watch for: Ohio State's biggest star this season has been freshman Maddy Humphrey. She led the team with 32 points this season and took a vast majority of the corners for the team. Any hope of advancing to the semifinals revolves around her having a big game.
For Maryland, the key is to keep the high powered offense going and one of the key players to do that is junior midfielder Anna Dessoye. Throughout the season, Dessoye has been an efficient scorer, converting over 50% of her shots on goal. While Dessoye does not take the most shots on the team, she is crucial to the offense and will definitely be a factor in Thursday's game.
Prediction: Although anything can happen in a tournament, I believe that Maryland will win this game pretty easily. The Terps are on a roll with over ten straight wins at this point and Ohio State does not have the tools to stop them.
Game 2: #4 Penn State vs #5 Michigan State
The Spartans do not have to travel very far for this matchup against Penn State on Thursday. While their drive should be smooth, their journey to this point has not been. Michigan State went 4-4 in conference play this year and saw big wins and disappointing losses. On the other hand, Penn State went 14-4 on the season and had three of their losses come in conference play. Both of these two teams are strong and have great players, but only one can advance to the conference semifinals.
Players to watch for: Penn State has so many options offensively so it is hard to choose, but they have one of the top goalies out there with redshirt senior Kylie Licata. This season she has a goals against average of 1.32, and considering how many shots Michigan State takes, that could be a big difference maker. Licata will need to have a big game on Thursday, but with five shutouts this season she will most definitely be prepared.
For Michigan State, outshooting their opponents is key. Both Abby Barker and Allie Ahern took 70 shots each during the season. Because of that, the player to watch for is Abby Barker. The senior forward had 40 points this season in her last year as a Spartan. Look for her to have a big game on Thursday.
Prediction: Despite Michigan State having duel threat seniors that are going to test the Penn State defense, Penn State is going to win this game. Penn State has an explosive offense and a top notch defense that has impressed all season long and has truly made them one of the top teams in the nation.
Game #3: #2 Michigan vs #7 Rutgers
The host team gets to host the night game of day 1. The Wolverines went 6-2 in conference play to earn the two seed and importantly will be on the other side of the bracket of Maryland. Meanwhile, Rutgers finished their non-conference schedule strong to enter the tournament, but struggled greatly in Big 10 play. Anything can happen in the tournament, so this should be an exciting game.
Players to watch for: Leading the attack for Rutgers in this match will be junior forward Katie Champion. This season she led the team in scoring with 10 goals and was tied in assists with 6. If Rutgers wants to pull off the upset and advance, they are going to need Champion.
All season, Michigan has been led by a core group of seniors at vital to that group is Leslie Smith. Throughout the season, Smith has been crucial to the teams offense and led the team in goals with 12. Look for Smith to have a big game on Thursday and come up big all tournament long.
Prediction: Anything can happen in a single elimination tournament, and the last time these two teams met it was a close 2-1 victory for the Wolverines. That being said, Michigan is at home for the game and has been the stronger team this season, so I'm picking Michigan to win this game.
Game #4: #3 Northwestern vs #6 Iowa
This game is my pick for the most exciting quarterfinals matchup. Both teams have played solid hockey all season long and we're in for a treat on Thursday evening. Northwestern went 6-2 in conference play and was the only team to take down newcomer Maryland. Iowa on the other hand went 4-4, but demolished Penn State 4-0 recently. That adds up to a great game.
Players to watch for: For Iowa, the player to watch for is junior forward Natalie Cafone. This year she led the Big 10 in goals with 18. With a goals per game average of 1.06, odds are she's going to score in Thursday's game.
While Northwestern's offense is dangerous, their strength lies on defense. Look for senior goalie Maddy Carpenter to make the difference here. She is tied for second in shutouts in the Big 10 this year and is averaging 3.22 saves per game. I always feel that seniors tend to play their best in tournament situations, so look for Carpenter to play great on Thursday.
Prediction: Two teams that are capable of slaying giants. Iowa has a high powered offense and Northwestern has a great defense. I have to go with Northwestern in this game, but I would not be surprised to see an Iowa upset. Let's see how it turns out.
Projected Semifinals:
#1 Maryland vs #4 Penn State
#2 Michigan vs #3 Northwestern
Projected Finals:
#4 Penn State vs #2 Michigan
Projected Champion: Penn State
That is right, I am calling for a big upset. As great as Maryland has been this season (and they have truly been amazing) I have a hunch that Penn State has the right group to take them down. Anything can happen in a single elimination tournament, so let's wait and see what happens.
So what do you think? Do you agree with my picks and key players, or do you think the tournament is going to go differently? Let me know in the comments.
Sunday, November 2, 2014
ACC conference tournament preview
We start our coverage of conference tournaments with the ACC. A lot is on the line this week for schools across the country as they enter into the postseason. Some teams are looking to solidify their dominance and others are looking to win their conference tournament so that they can make it to the tournament. First up, the ACC.
As most know, the ACC has been the dominate conference for a long time in the sport of field hockey. In the 2013 NCAA tournament they had three of the four teams in the final four. To make matters even more impressive, all seven ACC schools with field hockey programs made the NCAA tournament field. No other conference had that many qualify.
This year the ACC looks to repeat that accomplishment. All seven schools are in the top 13 of the most recent coaches poll and the teams were almost even in conference play, with the regular season champion Virginia going 4-2 in conference play.
The teams finished conference play in the following order:
1) Virginia
2) North Carolina
3) Boston College
4) Wake Forest
5) Louisville
6) Syracuse
7) Duke
Now let's take a look at the bracket
As most know, the ACC has been the dominate conference for a long time in the sport of field hockey. In the 2013 NCAA tournament they had three of the four teams in the final four. To make matters even more impressive, all seven ACC schools with field hockey programs made the NCAA tournament field. No other conference had that many qualify.
This year the ACC looks to repeat that accomplishment. All seven schools are in the top 13 of the most recent coaches poll and the teams were almost even in conference play, with the regular season champion Virginia going 4-2 in conference play.
The teams finished conference play in the following order:
1) Virginia
2) North Carolina
3) Boston College
4) Wake Forest
5) Louisville
6) Syracuse
7) Duke
Now let's take a look at the bracket
With a seven team field, the top team, Virginia, gets a bye into the semifinals. Lucky for us fans, all games are going to be broadcast on ESPN3. Let's take a look at Thursday's quarterfinals matchups.
Game 1: #5 Louisville vs. #4 Wake Forest
Louisville has definitely made waves in their first ACC field hockey season as they went 3-3 in the conference with wins over North Carolina, Duke, and oh yeah, Wake Forest. In a matchup at the end of September, Louisville defeated Wake Forest in Winston-Salem 2-1 in Overtime. The game was a thriller and the sequel looks to be as well. While Wake Forest lost the home match to the Cardinals, the Demon Deacons have been on a roll recently with losses only against North Carolina and wins over Syracuse, Virginia, and Boston College.
Players to watch for: Wake Forest- Look for senior midfielder Anna Kozniuk to be a difference maker in the match. Last season she was a second team All-American and this year she leads the team with 13 goals. Kozniuk is dangerous, so look for her to score for Wake Forest.
Louisville- The Cardinals tend to spread out their attack, but junior midfielder Elisa Garcia is almost always involved. She takes a lot of shots (20 on goal) and scores regularly (six goals). More impressively, she has 13 assists this season and has had several games with multiple points.
Prediction- Louisville won round one earlier this season and has an explosive offense, so I'm going with Louisville to take this one. The Cardinals have scored 61 goals this season and average only 1.71 goals against, so look for them to win their first ever ACC tournament game.
Game 2: #7 Duke vs. #2 North Carolina
Ah the Tobacco Road Rivalry. This game has major implications with both teams being in the top six in the country and meeting in the first round of the ACC tournament. This is probably going to be the biggest game of day one and for good reasons. Duke is hosting the tournament this year, but the Tar Heels already beat the Blue Devils on their home field last month. This game looks to be a classic, with both teams looking impressive heading into the matchup.
Players to watch for: North Carolina- Senior forward Loren Shealy. Throughout her career, Shealy has been a superstar both on and off the field. This season she is leading the team in points with 28 and she has 10 goals in her senior season. Oh, and she is one smart cookie too with plenty of academic awards along with being a Robertson Scholar. Look for her to be a playmaker in this matchup.
Duke- Throughout the season Duke has relied on a top notch defense to get the job done, so look for redshirt junior goalie Lauren Blazing to be the key player for Duke. This season she has been on fire, averaging 1.06 goals against and has made 68 saves. This season she has six shutouts. Also, Blazing has winning experience as she was the starting goalie last season in Duke's run to the national championship game.
Prediction- Offense vs. Defense. While defense has led Duke this far, the Tar Heels have an even better defense, leading the conference in goals against average. The last meeting was a 1-0 game, and I think North Carolina will win this one in similar fashion.
Game 3: Syracuse vs Boston College
Rivals are not limited to Tobacco Road on day one of the ACC tournament. Northeast rivals Syracuse and Boston College meet in the last game of the day and it should be a great game. Syracuse is averaging 4.44 goals per game, yet Boston College has played in an absurd eight overtime games this season. Will the Eagles and Orange take this one to overtime? Their last meeting was in September when Syracuse was #4 in the nation. Boston College defeated them in overtime 3-2 in a truly dramatic fashion. Both teams are riding win streaks and will be ready to go on Thursday.
Players to watch for: Syracuse- The Orange have had a powerful offense all season and this has been led by freshmen midfielder Lieke Visser. The Dutch phenom has had 17 assists this season and is second in the ACC in points. Visser is not afraid to shoot the ball, so look for her to make a difference on Thursday.
Boston College- Because they have been fantastic all season long, I have to pick two for Boston College. Sophomore twins Emily and Eryn McCoy are both my pick for player to watch for. Both of them are goal scorers, with Emily leading the team with 10 goals and Eryn scoring 9 goals. They have been leaders on this team that has seen ups and downs and they will be difference makers in the tournament.
Prediction- Syracuse is currently #2 in the ACC in scoring margin and is averaging an impressive 4.44 goals per game. Despite that, I have to pick Boston College in this game. The Eagles are a team who goes down swinging and has pulled off some great overtime victories this season, going 4-4 in overtime games. I think the Eagles will prevail in this matchup, but of course it will be dramatic and go into overtime.
Now let's talk about Virginia.
The Cavaliers escape the first day of the tournament because they were the regular season conference champion. The season has seen them play amazing hockey as they scored 61 goals. During the middle of the season they won nine straight games with wins over Louisville, Duke, Syracuse, and North Carolina. At the same time though, they have lost four of their last five games and their one win was over Liberty in overtime.
Player to watch for- It all revolves around freshman midfielder Tara Vittese for the Cavaliers. Vittese is a sensational player with 51 points this season. She is one of the top players in the country this season and already has quiet a bit of international experience. Look for Vittese to be the difference maker in the Cavaliers semifinal matchup.
Semifinals predictions:
First, lets look at the matchups that I predicted:
#1 Virginia vs. #5 Louisville
#2 North Carolina vs. #3 Boston College.
Form matters, and Louisville has looked impressive recently. Because of that, I am predicting that Louisville will win this game. As for the other semifinal, the Tar Heels will have almost a home crowd and have been impressive all season look. I think North Carolina will win.
Finals Prediction:
North Carolina over Louisville. The Cards have been impressive in their first ever ACC season, but North Carolina will be too much to handle and will win the tournament in Durham.
What do you think? Who will win the tournament and what players will stand out? Let us know.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Previewing the Battle of the Wolverine State
On Friday afternoon, Michigan and Michigan State will meet again and renew their rivalry. On the field, the two teams have had different seasons and have had different degrees of success. None of that will matter though when they take the field against their biggest rival.
Last season in East Lansing, Michigan State defeated Michigan 3-2 in a double overtime thriller. Twice Michigan came from behind to tie the game, but in the end, Abby Barker scored the final goal to pull off the upset.
Every rivalry game is emotional, and the memory of that contest will certainly be on the minds of the players. This year the narrative is somewhat similar. Michigan is ranked and Michigan State has had a few bumps in the road. The game is late in the season and both teams have seniors who have plenty of memories and want to end with a win.
This season, Michigan has been led by a group of seniors who have posted extraordinary numbers. Leading the team in scoring has been fifth year senior Leslie Smith, with 11 goals on the season. This has been her highest scoring season and she currently has 29 career goals. Also leading the team this season has been fifth year senior midfielder Ainsley McCallister, who has been a rock for the team with 16 assists this season and has started every single game. Joining McCallister on the midfield is another rock, grad student Sammy Gray, who has made 67 appearances for the Wolverines. The other two graduating players that Michigan will be saying goodbye to are Lauren Hauge and Emy Guttman, who scored a dramatic game winning goal over Northwestern recently.
While Michigan is in a three way tie for first in the Big 10, in-state rival Michigan State would love nothing more then to spoil the party. Currently Michigan State is 3-4 in conference play and a win here would help them heading into the conference tournament. The Spartans know how to fight hard, six of their eight wins this season have been come from behind victories with plenty of overtime wins and overtime heartbreak as well.
Leading them throughout this crazy season has been senior Abby Barker. The same Abby Barker who crushed the Wolverines' hopes in double overtime last season. This season, Barker has recorded 12 goals and 11 assists and has been the focal point of the Spartans offense. Michigan State has scored 40 goals this season and is averaging 2.67 goals per game. Another senior has been coming in strong for the Spartans this season, with Allie Ahern scoring seven goals on the season. With plenty of seniors playing consistently, and 11 players appearing in every single game, Michigan State will be ready for bring a strong performance against their instate rival.
Although Michigan has dominated the series recently, the game still has an air of excitement to it. Michigan has won three of the last four, but remember that the one loss was a double overtime upset thanks to a strong performance by Michigan State. This game should live up to the expectations when the players hit the field on Friday at 3:30. The game will be shown on the Big 10 Network. Look for the stars to come out when the cameras turn on, as both teams have a group of exceptional seniors who are playing in this great rivalry for the last time.
Last season in East Lansing, Michigan State defeated Michigan 3-2 in a double overtime thriller. Twice Michigan came from behind to tie the game, but in the end, Abby Barker scored the final goal to pull off the upset.
Every rivalry game is emotional, and the memory of that contest will certainly be on the minds of the players. This year the narrative is somewhat similar. Michigan is ranked and Michigan State has had a few bumps in the road. The game is late in the season and both teams have seniors who have plenty of memories and want to end with a win.
This season, Michigan has been led by a group of seniors who have posted extraordinary numbers. Leading the team in scoring has been fifth year senior Leslie Smith, with 11 goals on the season. This has been her highest scoring season and she currently has 29 career goals. Also leading the team this season has been fifth year senior midfielder Ainsley McCallister, who has been a rock for the team with 16 assists this season and has started every single game. Joining McCallister on the midfield is another rock, grad student Sammy Gray, who has made 67 appearances for the Wolverines. The other two graduating players that Michigan will be saying goodbye to are Lauren Hauge and Emy Guttman, who scored a dramatic game winning goal over Northwestern recently.
While Michigan is in a three way tie for first in the Big 10, in-state rival Michigan State would love nothing more then to spoil the party. Currently Michigan State is 3-4 in conference play and a win here would help them heading into the conference tournament. The Spartans know how to fight hard, six of their eight wins this season have been come from behind victories with plenty of overtime wins and overtime heartbreak as well.
Leading them throughout this crazy season has been senior Abby Barker. The same Abby Barker who crushed the Wolverines' hopes in double overtime last season. This season, Barker has recorded 12 goals and 11 assists and has been the focal point of the Spartans offense. Michigan State has scored 40 goals this season and is averaging 2.67 goals per game. Another senior has been coming in strong for the Spartans this season, with Allie Ahern scoring seven goals on the season. With plenty of seniors playing consistently, and 11 players appearing in every single game, Michigan State will be ready for bring a strong performance against their instate rival.
Although Michigan has dominated the series recently, the game still has an air of excitement to it. Michigan has won three of the last four, but remember that the one loss was a double overtime upset thanks to a strong performance by Michigan State. This game should live up to the expectations when the players hit the field on Friday at 3:30. The game will be shown on the Big 10 Network. Look for the stars to come out when the cameras turn on, as both teams have a group of exceptional seniors who are playing in this great rivalry for the last time.
What to Watch For (October 24-26 edition)
As the regular season winds down we have a lot of key matchups. Let's take a look at the top three games happening this weekend.
3.) #8 Virginia at #14 Boston College (Friday)
Boston College has had a crazy number of upsets this season and has had a truly absurd number of overtime games and heartbreaks. With a team like Virginia heading their way, how could you not get excited about this game? Virginia has a powerful offense led by Tara Vittese, who is a freshman with 15 goals already this season. And on the other end, Boston College has managed to make an absurd number of games go into overtime with plenty of comebacks and great team play. Don't be surprised if the Eagles get an upset here at home.
2.) #4 Penn State at #15 Iowa (Saturday)
I wrote earlier this week that Iowa was the biggest loser (of the power teams). No better way to change that then taking on the second hottest team in the Big 10 this year. The hawkeyes already beat Virginia at home this year, so the upset is possible. Look for Penn State to be ready though, as they have looked strong in recent weeks. Regardless of who wins, this is going to be a great game.
#6 Duke at #10 Syracuse (Saturday)
The only top 10 matchup of the weekend looks to be a great game. Both teams have proven at times that they are elite teams, but neither of them have shined in conference play. Duke is 2-3 in the ACC and Syracuse is 1-4. Both teams need a big win here to help them have momentum heading into conference play. This is the last big game of the season for both teams, so look for an exciting matchup in New York on Saturday.
Honorable mention games: Friday- Temple at Georgetown, Michigan State at Michigan, Cal at Stanford. Saturday- Wake Forest at North Carolina. Sunday- Louisville at Indiana.
3.) #8 Virginia at #14 Boston College (Friday)
Boston College has had a crazy number of upsets this season and has had a truly absurd number of overtime games and heartbreaks. With a team like Virginia heading their way, how could you not get excited about this game? Virginia has a powerful offense led by Tara Vittese, who is a freshman with 15 goals already this season. And on the other end, Boston College has managed to make an absurd number of games go into overtime with plenty of comebacks and great team play. Don't be surprised if the Eagles get an upset here at home.
2.) #4 Penn State at #15 Iowa (Saturday)
I wrote earlier this week that Iowa was the biggest loser (of the power teams). No better way to change that then taking on the second hottest team in the Big 10 this year. The hawkeyes already beat Virginia at home this year, so the upset is possible. Look for Penn State to be ready though, as they have looked strong in recent weeks. Regardless of who wins, this is going to be a great game.
#6 Duke at #10 Syracuse (Saturday)
The only top 10 matchup of the weekend looks to be a great game. Both teams have proven at times that they are elite teams, but neither of them have shined in conference play. Duke is 2-3 in the ACC and Syracuse is 1-4. Both teams need a big win here to help them have momentum heading into conference play. This is the last big game of the season for both teams, so look for an exciting matchup in New York on Saturday.
Honorable mention games: Friday- Temple at Georgetown, Michigan State at Michigan, Cal at Stanford. Saturday- Wake Forest at North Carolina. Sunday- Louisville at Indiana.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Week 7 coaches poll
Another week gives us another coaches poll. Let's dive into it and see how the teams look.
Biggest Winner: Wake Forest. The demon deacons lost a heartbreaking overtime game two weeks ago to top ranked UNC. This past weekend, Wake Forest came in ready to win and they took down then #6 Virginia on the road and #10 Syracuse. The squad moved up two spots to #11, but they could jump into the top 10 with a win over North Carolina this upcoming Friday.
Biggest Loser: Honestly this was tough to pick this week. There was no shocking upset or team that looked like they were headed in the complete wrong direction. Because of that, I am picking Iowa as the biggest loser this week. They lost on the road at unranked Michigan State. Road games are always tough, but top teams take care of those games. To make things harder for the hawkeyes, they have to face #4 Penn State on Friday and go on the road at #2 Maryland to close out the season. The Hawkeyes need a big win heading into the conference tournament to give them momentum.
Other Thoughts:
-Boston College rebounded nicely after dropping Louisville. Back up to #14.
-Nice win for Michigan, knocking off Northwestern.
-Can't go up when you're already on top, but UNC defeated their rival, Duke, on the road to solidify their top spot.
-Stanford just can't stop winning. Nine game winning streak now.
-Unrelated to the poll, but I cannot wait to see the conference tournaments start. Definitely going to be an exciting time
Biggest Winner: Wake Forest. The demon deacons lost a heartbreaking overtime game two weeks ago to top ranked UNC. This past weekend, Wake Forest came in ready to win and they took down then #6 Virginia on the road and #10 Syracuse. The squad moved up two spots to #11, but they could jump into the top 10 with a win over North Carolina this upcoming Friday.
Biggest Loser: Honestly this was tough to pick this week. There was no shocking upset or team that looked like they were headed in the complete wrong direction. Because of that, I am picking Iowa as the biggest loser this week. They lost on the road at unranked Michigan State. Road games are always tough, but top teams take care of those games. To make things harder for the hawkeyes, they have to face #4 Penn State on Friday and go on the road at #2 Maryland to close out the season. The Hawkeyes need a big win heading into the conference tournament to give them momentum.
Other Thoughts:
-Boston College rebounded nicely after dropping Louisville. Back up to #14.
-Nice win for Michigan, knocking off Northwestern.
-Can't go up when you're already on top, but UNC defeated their rival, Duke, on the road to solidify their top spot.
-Stanford just can't stop winning. Nine game winning streak now.
-Unrelated to the poll, but I cannot wait to see the conference tournaments start. Definitely going to be an exciting time
Monday, October 20, 2014
Ivy League Roundup (October 20 edition)
Four teams are tied for first place. Four teams. This past week did not separate many teams from contention and the Ivy League is heating up. Let's start by looking at what happened in the last week, starting with the games.
October 15:
Maryland 8 at Princeton 1
October 18:
Yale 2 at Dartmouth 4
Brown 0 at Princeton 4
Cornell 1 at Harvard 2
Columbia 4 at Penn 3 (overtime)
October 19:
Longwood 0 at Penn 5
Columbia 2 at Delaware 1
Yale 3 at Connecticut 8
New Hampshire 1 at Harvard 0 (overtime)
Dartmouth 0 at Mass-Lowell 1
League Standings:
1) Columbia 10-4 (3-1)
Cornell 8-4 (3-1)
Dartmouth 5-8 (3-1)
Princeton 4-9 (3-1)
5) Harvard 8-5 (2-2)
6) Brown 8-4 (1-3)
Penn 5-7 (1-3)
8) Yale 2-11 (0-4)
Game of the Week: The honor this weeks goes to Columbia and Penn for their 4-3 overtime thriller. Something about sudden death makes games more exciting. Congrats to both teams!
Team of the Week: Columbia wins for team of the week. The squad went 2-0 over the weekend with a win over Penn to move into a four way tie for first place in the league.
Upcoming Game to Watch: Dartmouth at Columbia, Sunday at noon eastern. Columbia has been on a tear recently and is looking to break the deadlock at the top. Dartmouth on the other hand had been down until conference play started, where their NCAA hopes and dreams now lie. Both teams are coming into this match strong and it should be a great one.
General Notes:
-Last week's Cornell-Harvard game of the week definitely did not let us down. With the win, Cornell is tied for first in the league.
-With three match weeks to go, the conference still has plenty of contenders. This upcoming weekend should be incredibly exciting to see who truly can do it.
-Don't rule out Harvard this season. Going at Princeton and at Dartmouth will be a tough task, but if the Crimson play at the level they have shown in earlier matches, they could pull it off.
Thanks for reading and enjoy the games!
October 15:
Maryland 8 at Princeton 1
October 18:
Yale 2 at Dartmouth 4
Brown 0 at Princeton 4
Cornell 1 at Harvard 2
Columbia 4 at Penn 3 (overtime)
October 19:
Longwood 0 at Penn 5
Columbia 2 at Delaware 1
Yale 3 at Connecticut 8
New Hampshire 1 at Harvard 0 (overtime)
Dartmouth 0 at Mass-Lowell 1
League Standings:
1) Columbia 10-4 (3-1)
Cornell 8-4 (3-1)
Dartmouth 5-8 (3-1)
Princeton 4-9 (3-1)
5) Harvard 8-5 (2-2)
6) Brown 8-4 (1-3)
Penn 5-7 (1-3)
8) Yale 2-11 (0-4)
Game of the Week: The honor this weeks goes to Columbia and Penn for their 4-3 overtime thriller. Something about sudden death makes games more exciting. Congrats to both teams!
Team of the Week: Columbia wins for team of the week. The squad went 2-0 over the weekend with a win over Penn to move into a four way tie for first place in the league.
Upcoming Game to Watch: Dartmouth at Columbia, Sunday at noon eastern. Columbia has been on a tear recently and is looking to break the deadlock at the top. Dartmouth on the other hand had been down until conference play started, where their NCAA hopes and dreams now lie. Both teams are coming into this match strong and it should be a great one.
General Notes:
-Last week's Cornell-Harvard game of the week definitely did not let us down. With the win, Cornell is tied for first in the league.
-With three match weeks to go, the conference still has plenty of contenders. This upcoming weekend should be incredibly exciting to see who truly can do it.
-Don't rule out Harvard this season. Going at Princeton and at Dartmouth will be a tough task, but if the Crimson play at the level they have shown in earlier matches, they could pull it off.
Thanks for reading and enjoy the games!
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Ivy League Roundup (October 14 edition)
There may have been a break from conference play, but that does not mean that we are going to take a break from talking about Ivy League field hockey! Teams still played, so let's take a look at the games. Lots of midweek action took place, so we will start there.
October 8:
Brown 1 at Quinnipiac 3
Bryant 0 at Yale 1
October 9:
Monmouth 4 at Penn 2
October 10:
Towson 3 at Columbia 5
Delaware 2 at Princeton 1 (2OT)
October 11:
Albany 3 at Dartmouth 1
Yale 0 at Maine 4
October 12:
Lehigh 2 at Brown 4
Penn 0 at Maryland 9
Harvard 3 at Fairfield 0
Massachussetts 2 at Columbia 3
Syracuse 5 at Cornell 0
October 13:
Providence 0 at Brown 2
Holy Cross 4 at Dartmouth 5 (OT)
League Standings:
1) Cornell 8-3 (3-0)
2) Columbia 8-4 (2-1)
Dartmouth 4-7 (2-1)
Princeton 3-8 (2-1)
5) Brown 8-3 (1-2)
Harvard 7-4 (1-2)
Penn 4-6 (1-2)
8) Yale 2-9 (0-3)
Player of the Week: The honor this week went to Junior Christina Freibott of Columbia. She recorded a goal and four assists during the last week, which made her worthy of the award. This is the first time that she has won it. Congratulations Christina!
Game of the Week: A lot of good games were played, but the honor goes to Dartmouth and Holy Cross. Their 5-4 two overtime game was thrilling and high scoring, so it wins for game of the week.
Team of the Week: Brown was the team of the week. They went 2-1 on the week with wins over Providence and Lehigh and a loss to Quinnipiac.
The teams return to Ivy League action this next weekend and the race for the championship is heating up. Cornell currently leads with three wins and no losses, but Columbia, Dartmouth, and Princeton are sitting close behind with only one loss. The biggest upcoming game to watch in the next week is Saturday when Cornell travels to Harvard. Cornell is 3-0 in Ivy play, but Harvard is 7-4 overall and has faced tough opponents. Harvard on the road is a touch matchup for Cornell, and that makes this the game to watch this upcoming weekend.
October 8:
Brown 1 at Quinnipiac 3
Bryant 0 at Yale 1
October 9:
Monmouth 4 at Penn 2
October 10:
Towson 3 at Columbia 5
Delaware 2 at Princeton 1 (2OT)
October 11:
Albany 3 at Dartmouth 1
Yale 0 at Maine 4
October 12:
Lehigh 2 at Brown 4
Penn 0 at Maryland 9
Harvard 3 at Fairfield 0
Massachussetts 2 at Columbia 3
Syracuse 5 at Cornell 0
October 13:
Providence 0 at Brown 2
Holy Cross 4 at Dartmouth 5 (OT)
League Standings:
1) Cornell 8-3 (3-0)
2) Columbia 8-4 (2-1)
Dartmouth 4-7 (2-1)
Princeton 3-8 (2-1)
5) Brown 8-3 (1-2)
Harvard 7-4 (1-2)
Penn 4-6 (1-2)
8) Yale 2-9 (0-3)
Player of the Week: The honor this week went to Junior Christina Freibott of Columbia. She recorded a goal and four assists during the last week, which made her worthy of the award. This is the first time that she has won it. Congratulations Christina!
Game of the Week: A lot of good games were played, but the honor goes to Dartmouth and Holy Cross. Their 5-4 two overtime game was thrilling and high scoring, so it wins for game of the week.
Team of the Week: Brown was the team of the week. They went 2-1 on the week with wins over Providence and Lehigh and a loss to Quinnipiac.
The teams return to Ivy League action this next weekend and the race for the championship is heating up. Cornell currently leads with three wins and no losses, but Columbia, Dartmouth, and Princeton are sitting close behind with only one loss. The biggest upcoming game to watch in the next week is Saturday when Cornell travels to Harvard. Cornell is 3-0 in Ivy play, but Harvard is 7-4 overall and has faced tough opponents. Harvard on the road is a touch matchup for Cornell, and that makes this the game to watch this upcoming weekend.
Week 6 coaches poll
Hi all. Another tuesday brings us another coaches poll to look at an examine. So let's get started.
To start, North Carolina retained their number one ranking. This was never really in doubt though, because the tar heels outscored their opponents 15-1 over the weekend.
Biggest winner: Definitely Stanford. The cardinal only has one loss on the season with that loss coming to #11 Albany. Why did the cardinal just now move up to #3 though? Over the weekend they went on the road to take down #8 Northwestern (now #9) and #14 Michigan. Stanford may not have the impressive or grueling conference schedule that others have, but Stanford simply does not lose and the coaches are taking notice. Because of this, Stanford has been rewarded with the highest rank in program history.
Biggest loser: A tough one, but Boston College. The eagles have faced top notch opponents all season, but have lost four of their last six games, and all of the losses have come in overtime. If that sounds like a lot of overtime games, it is. The eagles have played the most overtime games in division one this year. While Boston College has slid down to #17, it is entirely possible for them to rebound. They face Louisville next weekend, and a win on the road will definitely put the eagles on the right track.
Other thoughts:
-UCONN is climbing back up the rankings, now up to #4.
-Maine enters the rankings for the first time this year at #20.
Biggest winner: Definitely Stanford. The cardinal only has one loss on the season with that loss coming to #11 Albany. Why did the cardinal just now move up to #3 though? Over the weekend they went on the road to take down #8 Northwestern (now #9) and #14 Michigan. Stanford may not have the impressive or grueling conference schedule that others have, but Stanford simply does not lose and the coaches are taking notice. Because of this, Stanford has been rewarded with the highest rank in program history.
Biggest loser: A tough one, but Boston College. The eagles have faced top notch opponents all season, but have lost four of their last six games, and all of the losses have come in overtime. If that sounds like a lot of overtime games, it is. The eagles have played the most overtime games in division one this year. While Boston College has slid down to #17, it is entirely possible for them to rebound. They face Louisville next weekend, and a win on the road will definitely put the eagles on the right track.
Other thoughts:
-UCONN is climbing back up the rankings, now up to #4.
-Maine enters the rankings for the first time this year at #20.
Friday, October 10, 2014
What To Watch For (October 10-12 edition)
Last weekend saw a lot of great teams face each other and a lot of games going into overtime. Now that October is in full swing we have another great slate of games for this weekend. But who is playing who and what games are the biggest? Let's look at the top three.
3) #5 Louisville at #13 Syracuse (Saturday)
The cardinals have been shooting up the charts each week and are now sitting pretty at #5. This is the first time that Louisville has entered the top 5 since 2002 and they look to stay there. They certainly have the impressive resume to be worthy of #5, however most of their big wins have come at home. Traveling on the road to Syracuse is a tough test for #5, but it should bring us great hockey. Syracuse is no slacker either and had a brutal end to september playing three top 11 teams in the span of 8 days.
2) #7 Stanford at #8 Northwestern (Friday)
Last Sunday, Northwestern got the chance to knock off then #7 Iowa in Iowa with an impressive 3-1 victory. Tonight they will get another shot at knocking off the #7 team when they take on Stanford in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Currently both teams are riding six game winning streaks, which makes this game even more exiting because one team has to lose tonight. this is Stanford's last big weekend in the regular season, so the cardinal is going to need to make a statement on Friday night.
1) #4 Penn State at #2 Maryland (Friday)
It still feels a bit weird to see Maryland in Big 10 play, but seeing them playing against the top teams is not unusual at all. Penn State is sitting at #4 this week and has a record of 10-2. The Nittany Lions only losses have come to ranked teams in overtime so clearly they are ready for a huge matchup with the #2 team in the country, Maryland. The home side Maryland has faced eight ranked sides already this season and has been impressive all season long. This may not have the excitement of a 1 vs 2 matchup, but there is definitely going to be an amazing atmosphere in College Park this afternoon. For those that have the Big 10 network and Big 10 to go, the game will be available at 3:30 pm today.
Honorable mentions this week: Friday- Old Dominion at Connecticut, Michigan at Iowa, Boston College at Duke. Saturday- Michigan State at Indiana. Sunday- Wake Forest at Virginia, Connecticut at Boston U.
3) #5 Louisville at #13 Syracuse (Saturday)
The cardinals have been shooting up the charts each week and are now sitting pretty at #5. This is the first time that Louisville has entered the top 5 since 2002 and they look to stay there. They certainly have the impressive resume to be worthy of #5, however most of their big wins have come at home. Traveling on the road to Syracuse is a tough test for #5, but it should bring us great hockey. Syracuse is no slacker either and had a brutal end to september playing three top 11 teams in the span of 8 days.
2) #7 Stanford at #8 Northwestern (Friday)
Last Sunday, Northwestern got the chance to knock off then #7 Iowa in Iowa with an impressive 3-1 victory. Tonight they will get another shot at knocking off the #7 team when they take on Stanford in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Currently both teams are riding six game winning streaks, which makes this game even more exiting because one team has to lose tonight. this is Stanford's last big weekend in the regular season, so the cardinal is going to need to make a statement on Friday night.
1) #4 Penn State at #2 Maryland (Friday)
It still feels a bit weird to see Maryland in Big 10 play, but seeing them playing against the top teams is not unusual at all. Penn State is sitting at #4 this week and has a record of 10-2. The Nittany Lions only losses have come to ranked teams in overtime so clearly they are ready for a huge matchup with the #2 team in the country, Maryland. The home side Maryland has faced eight ranked sides already this season and has been impressive all season long. This may not have the excitement of a 1 vs 2 matchup, but there is definitely going to be an amazing atmosphere in College Park this afternoon. For those that have the Big 10 network and Big 10 to go, the game will be available at 3:30 pm today.
Honorable mentions this week: Friday- Old Dominion at Connecticut, Michigan at Iowa, Boston College at Duke. Saturday- Michigan State at Indiana. Sunday- Wake Forest at Virginia, Connecticut at Boston U.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Ivy League Roundup (October 7th edition)
Another week and more exciting games in the Ivy League. Let's take a look at what happened last weekend.
Princeton 2 at Columbia 3
Yale 0 at Cornell 4
Penn 3 at Dartmouth 4
Harvard 3 at Brown 4 (2 OT)
The teams then took the field in non-conference matchups on Sunday.
American 1 at Cornell 0
Columbia 3 at Hofstra 4 (OT)
Syracuse 4 at Princeton 3 (2 OT)
Sienna 2 at Brown 3
Harvard 1 at Boston U 3
Current league standings:
1) Cornell 8-2 (3-0)
2) Columbia 6-4 (2-1)
3) Dartmouth 3-6 (2-1)
4) Princeton 3-7 (2-1)
5) Brown 6-2 (1-2)
6) Harvard 6-4 (1-2)
7) Penn 4-4 (1-2)
8) Yale 1-8 (0-3)
Team of the week award goes to Brown, who went 2-0 on the week with a dramatic double overtime win over Harvard and then beat Sienna to improve to 6-2 on the season. Congratulations to the bears.
Other notes:
-Princeton may have went 0-2 this week, but they put up a fight against nationally ranked syracuse. The orange prevailed in dramatic fashion in the second overtime.
-League leading Cornell has only given up one goal in Ivy play so far. Their hot defense has been a huge factor in their 8-2 start to the season.
-Dartmouth may have started the season in rocky fashion, but their offense has been a catalyst in their recent Ivy successes, scoring 11 goals in league play.
That does it for this week, come back next week to see how these teams do.
Princeton 2 at Columbia 3
Yale 0 at Cornell 4
Penn 3 at Dartmouth 4
Harvard 3 at Brown 4 (2 OT)
The teams then took the field in non-conference matchups on Sunday.
American 1 at Cornell 0
Columbia 3 at Hofstra 4 (OT)
Syracuse 4 at Princeton 3 (2 OT)
Sienna 2 at Brown 3
Harvard 1 at Boston U 3
Current league standings:
1) Cornell 8-2 (3-0)
2) Columbia 6-4 (2-1)
3) Dartmouth 3-6 (2-1)
4) Princeton 3-7 (2-1)
5) Brown 6-2 (1-2)
6) Harvard 6-4 (1-2)
7) Penn 4-4 (1-2)
8) Yale 1-8 (0-3)
Team of the week award goes to Brown, who went 2-0 on the week with a dramatic double overtime win over Harvard and then beat Sienna to improve to 6-2 on the season. Congratulations to the bears.
Other notes:
-Princeton may have went 0-2 this week, but they put up a fight against nationally ranked syracuse. The orange prevailed in dramatic fashion in the second overtime.
-League leading Cornell has only given up one goal in Ivy play so far. Their hot defense has been a huge factor in their 8-2 start to the season.
-Dartmouth may have started the season in rocky fashion, but their offense has been a catalyst in their recent Ivy successes, scoring 11 goals in league play.
That does it for this week, come back next week to see how these teams do.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Week 5 polls
With another Tuesday brings another Coaches poll
So who are the biggest winners and the biggest losers?
The biggest two winners are currently sitting in 4th and 5th place. Penn State went 2-0 this week while many of the teams that were ahead of them lost. The other big climber, Louisville, jumped up the polls thanks to a win over then #4 Duke and then #15 Michigan. Both teams deserve to see their stocks rise and they will definitely be tested in big games coming up.
Who dropped? Duke dropped the game against Louisville and saw themselves fall from #4 to #9. Duke has had a lot of strong wins this season though, so it would not be surprising to see them pull off a few more big wins and go back into the top five. Boston College fell to #12 this week after two heartbreaking overtime loses against Wake Forest and Northwestern. Both games were close and exciting as overtime usually is.
There are many matchups this upcoming weekend involving ranked teams going head to head, so we will see some changes in the next week. While the polls give us a good idea of how good the teams are, the actual games tell us the real story.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
What to watch for (October 3-5 weekend)
Another exciting weekend of college field hockey is finally almost here. Last weekend brought us huge games and we saw teams fall and team rise. What will this weekend bring? Let us start by looking at the top three games to watch for!
3) #11 Northwestern at #7 Iowa-Sunday
Both of these teams have been sneaky good all season long so look for this to be a sneaky good game. This is the Northwestern team that beat Maryland earlier in the season and took Connecticut to overtime, and Iowa is strong too. Look for this to be the best game on Sunday.
2) #4 Duke at #12 Louisville-Friday
Duke has been steadily lurking in the rankings for weeks now with their only loss coming against Virginia. This game will prove to be a big test for them heading on the road to face another ranked team. A win for Duke will solidify their top 5 ranking. Louisville is coming off of a loss to Liberty and a win over a top 5 team will boost their confidence and set them on the right track with other ranked opponents coming up.
1) #3 Virginia at #1 North Carolina-Friday
Brutal schedule for North Carolina. Last weekend they played Boston College and Connecticut and now they play Virginia? Regardless, this is going to be a great game and the high scoring Virginia offense looks to be tested by the tar heels defense.
Now we just have to wait for the games to get here. What do you think the biggest games are?
3) #11 Northwestern at #7 Iowa-Sunday
Both of these teams have been sneaky good all season long so look for this to be a sneaky good game. This is the Northwestern team that beat Maryland earlier in the season and took Connecticut to overtime, and Iowa is strong too. Look for this to be the best game on Sunday.
2) #4 Duke at #12 Louisville-Friday
Duke has been steadily lurking in the rankings for weeks now with their only loss coming against Virginia. This game will prove to be a big test for them heading on the road to face another ranked team. A win for Duke will solidify their top 5 ranking. Louisville is coming off of a loss to Liberty and a win over a top 5 team will boost their confidence and set them on the right track with other ranked opponents coming up.
1) #3 Virginia at #1 North Carolina-Friday
Brutal schedule for North Carolina. Last weekend they played Boston College and Connecticut and now they play Virginia? Regardless, this is going to be a great game and the high scoring Virginia offense looks to be tested by the tar heels defense.
Now we just have to wait for the games to get here. What do you think the biggest games are?
Saturday, September 27, 2014
When Giants Meet
#1 against #2. It does not get any better then this does it? Tomorrow at noon, #1 North Carolina is going to face #2 Connecticut at a neutral site. Some sports naturally pit the highest two ranked teams against each other while others can only hope that they meet. NCAA field hockey is going to have one epic day when #1 and #2 meet tomorrow.
Of course, this is not the first 1/2 meeting that we have had this season. Earlier in the year #2 North Carolina met with #1 Maryland and the tar heels came out on top. After the game, the heels came out as the #1 team and currently Maryland is the #4 team in the country. Having two 1/2 matchups in the month of September is an incredibly special season and a sign of great things to come.
So how did we get here? UNC is currently 7-1 on the season with their one loss being at Louisville last weekend. North Carolina has beat Michigan, Iowa, Maryland, Syracuse, and Boston College to prove to the country that they are the #1 team. The hardest part of their schedule is arguably over with matchups against Connecticut, Duke, Virginia, and Wake Forest left with many smaller sides in between. North Carolina is looking to be a favorite for the tournament and they came close last year until they lost in the semifinals.
Who beat them in the semis? Connecticut. The huskies may not be in the ACC, but they still play a tough schedule. They have already faced Penn State, Boston College, and Stanford and end their season against Temple. Connecticut is currently 6-2 on the season with a loss at Boston College in a shootout and on Friday afternoon against Stanford. While their resume this season may not look quite as impressive, this team is the defending national champions and that speaks loudly.
Who needs the win more? While both teams are going to bring their A game, Connecticut needs this win more. Their remaining schedule is weaker then Carolina's is and they are coming off of their first loss. The ACC is still the dominating conference and UNC will have multiple chances to prove itself later on this year if they stumble on Sunday. Connecticut does not have Virginia and Duke remaining on their schedule so many will look to how they played against Stanford and UNC at the end of the season. With a loss on Friday already, Connecticut needs this win more then Carolina does.
Who does the neutral site benefit? The game tomorrow is being played at the Boston College Soccer Complex in Newton, Massachusetts. North Carolina just played there on Friday and earned an overtime win over Boston College. Despite that, I think Connecticut has the advantage here. They also played on this field earlier in the season and Storrs is only 90 minutes from Newton. They should have the bigger fan base at the game and they will not be as tired from the travel as North Carolina will be.
Who will win? The biggest winner on Sunday is probably going to be the fans. Seeing #1 meet #2 at a neutral site and have it be a rematch of a semifinal game from last year is a great story. But on the field though it will be extremely competitive. I would not be surprised to see this game go into overtime. My prediction is:
North Carolina 3 and Connecticut 2
Of course, this is not the first 1/2 meeting that we have had this season. Earlier in the year #2 North Carolina met with #1 Maryland and the tar heels came out on top. After the game, the heels came out as the #1 team and currently Maryland is the #4 team in the country. Having two 1/2 matchups in the month of September is an incredibly special season and a sign of great things to come.
So how did we get here? UNC is currently 7-1 on the season with their one loss being at Louisville last weekend. North Carolina has beat Michigan, Iowa, Maryland, Syracuse, and Boston College to prove to the country that they are the #1 team. The hardest part of their schedule is arguably over with matchups against Connecticut, Duke, Virginia, and Wake Forest left with many smaller sides in between. North Carolina is looking to be a favorite for the tournament and they came close last year until they lost in the semifinals.
Who beat them in the semis? Connecticut. The huskies may not be in the ACC, but they still play a tough schedule. They have already faced Penn State, Boston College, and Stanford and end their season against Temple. Connecticut is currently 6-2 on the season with a loss at Boston College in a shootout and on Friday afternoon against Stanford. While their resume this season may not look quite as impressive, this team is the defending national champions and that speaks loudly.
Who needs the win more? While both teams are going to bring their A game, Connecticut needs this win more. Their remaining schedule is weaker then Carolina's is and they are coming off of their first loss. The ACC is still the dominating conference and UNC will have multiple chances to prove itself later on this year if they stumble on Sunday. Connecticut does not have Virginia and Duke remaining on their schedule so many will look to how they played against Stanford and UNC at the end of the season. With a loss on Friday already, Connecticut needs this win more then Carolina does.
Who does the neutral site benefit? The game tomorrow is being played at the Boston College Soccer Complex in Newton, Massachusetts. North Carolina just played there on Friday and earned an overtime win over Boston College. Despite that, I think Connecticut has the advantage here. They also played on this field earlier in the season and Storrs is only 90 minutes from Newton. They should have the bigger fan base at the game and they will not be as tired from the travel as North Carolina will be.
Who will win? The biggest winner on Sunday is probably going to be the fans. Seeing #1 meet #2 at a neutral site and have it be a rematch of a semifinal game from last year is a great story. But on the field though it will be extremely competitive. I would not be surprised to see this game go into overtime. My prediction is:
North Carolina 3 and Connecticut 2
Ivy League Roundup (9/27/14 edition)
This weekend was big for Ivy League teams that are busy in conference play. All eight schools in action and we got a taste for how they matchup. Let's take a look at what happened.
Harvard 1 @ Penn 4
Brown 1 @ Dartmouth 6
Princeton 4 @ Yale 1
Cornell 2 @ Columbia 1 (OT)
Cornell is still the top team in the league with a conference record of 2-0 and an overall record of 6-1. After two games, only Cornell and Princeton are undefeated in league play.
Dartmouth may only have one win on the season, but it's an impressive win. 6-1 over Brown at home this weekend is definitely a good result for the team who is looking to turn things around. Can they make a run during conference play?
The current league standings are:
1) Cornell 6-1 (2-0)
2) Princeton 3-4 (2-0)
3) Harvard 5-2 (1-1)
4) Columbia 4-3 (1-1)
5) Penn 4-3 (1-1)
6)) Dartmouth 1-5 (1-1)
7) Brown 4-2 (0-2)
8) Yale 1-6 (0-2)
The next conference game is coming on October 3rd when Princeton visits Columbia.
Harvard 1 @ Penn 4
Brown 1 @ Dartmouth 6
Princeton 4 @ Yale 1
Cornell 2 @ Columbia 1 (OT)
Cornell is still the top team in the league with a conference record of 2-0 and an overall record of 6-1. After two games, only Cornell and Princeton are undefeated in league play.
Dartmouth may only have one win on the season, but it's an impressive win. 6-1 over Brown at home this weekend is definitely a good result for the team who is looking to turn things around. Can they make a run during conference play?
The current league standings are:
1) Cornell 6-1 (2-0)
2) Princeton 3-4 (2-0)
3) Harvard 5-2 (1-1)
4) Columbia 4-3 (1-1)
5) Penn 4-3 (1-1)
6)) Dartmouth 1-5 (1-1)
7) Brown 4-2 (0-2)
8) Yale 1-6 (0-2)
The next conference game is coming on October 3rd when Princeton visits Columbia.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
What to watch for on Friday (9/26/14)
This Friday is a huge night in NCAA field hockey. Some of the top teams in the country are facing off against each other in conference play. But who is playing and what games are the biggest? Well let's take a look at the top three games of the night.
3.) #10 Syracuse at #3 Virginia: Friday night ACC field hockey with two teams heading in opposite directions. Virginia is on a roll with six straight wins and three of them coming over currently ranked squads. Syracuse on the other hand has had a brutal last two games with a 3-0 loss at North Carolina and a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime loss at home against Boston College. Despite recent results, both teams are incredibly strong and this game could go either way. Look for a great game in Charlottesville on Friday
2.) #9 Stanford at #2 Connecticut: Two top 10 teams playing in a late non-conference matchup. Both teams are heading into this matchup needing signature wins from this game but only one can win. Stanford will probably not face another top 10 team in the regular season and UCONN needs a win over a ranked opponent after losing to Boston College earlier. Bottom line is that both of these programs would be thrilled to win this game so they are both going to come prepared.
1.) #1 North Carolina at #6 Boston College: This matchup is huge plain and simple. Boston College is coming off of a historic week in the history of their program and would love to keep the momentum going against #1 North Carolina. UNC lost to Louisville last week and is looking to prove that they are truly the top team.
Honorable Mention: #4 Maryland at #14 Michigan, #17 Indiana at #8 Iowa, and #11 Louisville at #16 Wake Forest.
3.) #10 Syracuse at #3 Virginia: Friday night ACC field hockey with two teams heading in opposite directions. Virginia is on a roll with six straight wins and three of them coming over currently ranked squads. Syracuse on the other hand has had a brutal last two games with a 3-0 loss at North Carolina and a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime loss at home against Boston College. Despite recent results, both teams are incredibly strong and this game could go either way. Look for a great game in Charlottesville on Friday
2.) #9 Stanford at #2 Connecticut: Two top 10 teams playing in a late non-conference matchup. Both teams are heading into this matchup needing signature wins from this game but only one can win. Stanford will probably not face another top 10 team in the regular season and UCONN needs a win over a ranked opponent after losing to Boston College earlier. Bottom line is that both of these programs would be thrilled to win this game so they are both going to come prepared.
1.) #1 North Carolina at #6 Boston College: This matchup is huge plain and simple. Boston College is coming off of a historic week in the history of their program and would love to keep the momentum going against #1 North Carolina. UNC lost to Louisville last week and is looking to prove that they are truly the top team.
Honorable Mention: #4 Maryland at #14 Michigan, #17 Indiana at #8 Iowa, and #11 Louisville at #16 Wake Forest.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Top 20 poll for September 23rd
Another Tuesday brings us another coaches poll! Let's take a look at the week three coaches poll.
(photo courtesy of National Field Hockey Coaches Association)
1.) North Carolina
2.) Connecticut
3.) Virginia
4.) Maryland
5.) Duke
6.) Boston College
7.) Penn State
8.) Iowa
9.) Stanford
10.) Syracuse
11.) Louisville
12.) Albany
13.) Northwestern
14.) Michigan
15.) Temple
16.) Wake Forest
17.) Indiana
18.) Michigan State
19.) Old Dominion
20.) Boston University
So let's break it down. Who rose and who fell? (last week's rank in parenthesis)
Risers- #2 Connecticut (5), #3 Virginia (10), #6 Boston College (11), #8 Iowa (9), #11 Louisville (14), #13 Northwestern (15), #14 Michigan (18), and #20 Boston University (Not Ranked)
Fallers- #4 Maryland (2), #5 Duke (3), #7 Penn State (6), #9 Stanford (8), #10 Syracuse (4), #12 Albany (7), #15 Temple (13), #16 Wake Forest (12), #18 Michigan State (16), and unranked Princeton (20).
Sunday, September 21, 2014
This weekend in the ncaa (September 19-21, 2014)
Let's see how the top 20 teams did this weekend.
Friday-September 19th:
#18 Michigan 3 @ #6 Penn State 2 (OT)
#12 Wake Forest 1 @ Liberty 2
#10 Virginia 2 @ #3 Duke 1
#5 Connecticut 2 @ UMASS 0
#19 Old Dominion 3 @ William & Mary 1
Missouri State 3 @ #20 James Madison 4
#16 Michigan State 4 @ Ohio State 3 (OT)
Saturday- September 20th:
#11 Boston College 3 @ #4 Syracuse 2 (OT)
#1 North Carolina 2 @ #14 Louisville 3
#2 Maryland 3 @ #15 Northwestern 2
#17 Indiana 1 @ Ohio 0
Dartmouth 0 @ #20 Princeton 4
Sunday- September 21st:
#5 Connecticut 2 @ Lafayette 1
#7 Albany 2 @ #10 Virginia 3 (OT)
California 1 @ #8 Stanford 2
#11 Boston College 6 @ Colgate 3
Drexel 1 @ #13 Temple 0 (OT)
#18 Michigan 3 @ Kent State 2
#9 Iowa 3 @ Rutgers 0
Ball State 1 @ #15 Northwestern 5
#3 Duke 3 @ William & Mary 0
Delaware 1 @ #19 Old Dominion 2 (OT)
#12 Wake Forest 3 @ Richmond 0
Miami (OH) 0 @ #1 North Carolina 3
#20 Princeton 2 @ American 1
Biggest Win: #14 Louisville over #1 North Carolina
Strongest Conference: ACC. Top four schools in the rankings lead to impressive conference play.
Enjoy your Sunday evening and let's get ready for another great week of field hockey.
Friday-September 19th:
#18 Michigan 3 @ #6 Penn State 2 (OT)
#12 Wake Forest 1 @ Liberty 2
#10 Virginia 2 @ #3 Duke 1
#5 Connecticut 2 @ UMASS 0
#19 Old Dominion 3 @ William & Mary 1
Missouri State 3 @ #20 James Madison 4
#16 Michigan State 4 @ Ohio State 3 (OT)
Saturday- September 20th:
#11 Boston College 3 @ #4 Syracuse 2 (OT)
#1 North Carolina 2 @ #14 Louisville 3
#2 Maryland 3 @ #15 Northwestern 2
#17 Indiana 1 @ Ohio 0
Dartmouth 0 @ #20 Princeton 4
Sunday- September 21st:
#5 Connecticut 2 @ Lafayette 1
#7 Albany 2 @ #10 Virginia 3 (OT)
California 1 @ #8 Stanford 2
#11 Boston College 6 @ Colgate 3
Drexel 1 @ #13 Temple 0 (OT)
#18 Michigan 3 @ Kent State 2
#9 Iowa 3 @ Rutgers 0
Ball State 1 @ #15 Northwestern 5
#3 Duke 3 @ William & Mary 0
Delaware 1 @ #19 Old Dominion 2 (OT)
#12 Wake Forest 3 @ Richmond 0
Miami (OH) 0 @ #1 North Carolina 3
#20 Princeton 2 @ American 1
Biggest Win: #14 Louisville over #1 North Carolina
Strongest Conference: ACC. Top four schools in the rankings lead to impressive conference play.
Enjoy your Sunday evening and let's get ready for another great week of field hockey.
Welcome to the blog!
Welcome to College Field Hockey Today! This is a new blog designed to cover NCAA field hockey. The focus will be on Division One, however at times the site will cover field hockey in other divisions.
So what can you expect from this site? Expect to see scores, standings, game recaps and reports as well as general speculation. If you want to know what is going on in the world of NCAA field hockey, this is the site for you. The season is well underway at this point so there is a lot to cover, starting with the biggest games and the biggest stories.
So welcome to the site!
-College Field Hockey Today
So what can you expect from this site? Expect to see scores, standings, game recaps and reports as well as general speculation. If you want to know what is going on in the world of NCAA field hockey, this is the site for you. The season is well underway at this point so there is a lot to cover, starting with the biggest games and the biggest stories.
So welcome to the site!
-College Field Hockey Today
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)