Final Four Preview

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.

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).

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.

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

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.