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Nov. 14, 2001
NCAA COLLEGE CUP FIRST ROUND
MARYLAND (10-6-2) vs. DAYTON (15-5)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2001 * 4:00 p.m.
Mountaineer Soccer Complex (1,000/Grass), Morgantown, W.Va.
Terps Face Dayton In First Round Match
The Maryland women's soccer team makes its sixth appearance in the NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament, when the Terps face the University of Dayton in the first round this Friday at 4 p.m. The game will take place at the Mountaineer Soccer Complex in Morgantown, W. Va., as the first game of the regional. The second game pits host West Virginia against Miami University The first round winners will meet in the second round this Sunday at 1 p.m. in Morgantown, W.Va.
TERPS IN THE NCAA'S
Overall Record: 5-5
Nov. 18, 1995 Maryland 6, James Madison 1 First Round at College Park
Nov. 25, 1995 Portland 1, Maryland 0 Second Round at Portland, Ore.
Nov. 16, 1996 Maryland 2, George Washington 0 First Round at College Park
Nov. 24, 1996 Maryland 1, San Diego 0 Second Round at College Park
Dec. 1, 1996 Notre Dame 2, Maryland 0 Elite Eight at South Bend, Ind.
Nov. 16, 1997 George Mason 2, Maryland 1 First Round at College Park
Nov. 11, 1998 Maryland 4, Fairfield 3 First Round at College Park
Nov. 15, 1998 William & Mary 2, Maryland 0 Second Round at Newport News, Va.
Nov, 10, 1999 Maryland 6, Long Island 0 First Round at College Park
Nov. 14, 1999 Penn State 3, Maryland 2 Second Round at University Park, Pa.
WMUC To Broadcast Maryland's NCAA Games
Maryland's campus radio station, WMUC 88.1 FM, will broadcast the Terrapins' run in the NCAA Tournament. Friday's game will air live on WMUC and on the internet at wmuc.umd.edu or by accessing Maryland's website www.umterps.com. Heather Schwartz will handle the play-by-play, R.J. Sony will be on the color commentary and Steve Rudenstein will provide analysis.
A live box score with statistics of the game will also be available on umterps.com.
Terps Back In The Tournament
After a one-year hiatus, the Maryland women's soccer team returns to the NCAA Women's College Cup for the sixth time in seven years. The Terps hold a 5-5 all-time record in the tournament, playing in five straight events from 1995 to 1999.
The Terps have won at least one game in each of their previous appearances accept in 1997. Maryland advanced to the quarterfinals twice in 1995 and 1996. The Terps also made it through to the second round in 1998 and 1999.
Meeting for the First Time
Maryland has never played Dayton in women's soccer. Nor have the Terps ever faced West Virginia or Miami (Ohio).
The Terps are 3-0 all-time in games against teams from Ohio with a 4-2 win over Cincinnati in 1992 and a pair of wins of Wright State: 1-0 in 1993 and 3-1 in 1997.
The Terps' roster features three native Buckeyes: junior Katie Kruse (Chagrin Falls, Ohio), freshman Lindsay Niehaus (Cincinnati, Ohio) and junior Carly Viher (Mentor, Ohio). Kruse and Niehaus have been regular starters since late in the season, while Viher has missed the entire season due to a torn ACL.
Maryland has never played a game in the state of West Virginia. The Terps have also never played any teams from the state of West Virginia.
Maryland Team Capsule
The Terps enter the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team with a record 10-6-2. Maryland has a 5-2-1 record in its last eight games.
Led by Shannon Higgins-Cirovski, in her third year with the Terps, the Terps have built their reputation with solid defense, allowing just 1.00 goals per game to rank among the national leaders in goals against average all season. All-ACC second team goalkeeper and senior captain Ali Wolff (Richmond, Va.) is among the league leaders in GAA (1.00) and save percentage (.771).
Sophomore Jen Biscoe (Baltimore, Md.) tops the tam in points with 15 on five goals and five assists. She has also posted four game-winning goals. Sophomore captain Lindsay Givens (Downingtown, Pa.) was also a second team All-ACC selection and has eight points on a goal and six assists.
Dayton Team Capsule
The Flyers enter their second NCAA Tournament as an automatic qualifier after winning the Atlantic 10 championship with a 2-1 win over Richmond on Sunday, Nov. 11 and come to Morgantown with a 15-5 record. Under head coach Mike Tucker, Dayton has won 13 games in a row after starting the year 2-5.
Only ACC champion North Carolina has a longer active win streak with 27 victories in a row. The Flyers have not lost since Sept. 23, when they fell 6-0 at Stanford. Over the 13 games, Dayton has outscored its opponents 35-7.
Junior midfielder Shannon Kuhl leads the Flyers with 23 points on nine goals and five assists. Senior Megan McKnight tops the team with 12 assists and is second overall in points with 22. In net, junior Stephanie Weisenfeld has started 19 of 20 games and has a 1.06 goals against average and .725 save percentage.
Dayton's only other NCAA bid came in 1999, as the Flyers beat Evansville, 3-2 in the first round and fell to eventual champion Notre Dame, 5-1 in the second round.
Miami (Ohio) Team Capsule
The Red Hawks are also an automatic qualifier after winning the Mid-American Conference. Miami has a 14-6-1 record beating Central Michigan in the MAC final, 3-1, last Sunday, Nov. 11. The Hawks have a 7-1-1 record in its last nine games and come to the tournament on a three-game winning streak.
Head coach Bobby Kramig has led his team it its second straight NCAA bid, last season, the Red Hawks lost to Michigan, 4-3 in double-overtime. Kramig is the only coach Miami women's soccer has known starting the program five years ago after coaching the men's team for many years.
This season, Miami is led by juniors Danielle Berkemeier (14 goals, 8 assists, 36 points) and Andrea Cunningham (15-4=34). Katie Karlander mans the goal and has a 0.95 GAA and .811 save percentage.
West Virginia Team Capsule
The Mountaineers are experiencing their most successful season in the six-year history of the program with a 15-4-1 record. West Virginia made its first appearance in the BIG EAST title game last Sunday, Nov. 11, falling to Notre Dame, 2-1 at Rutgers. They are ranked in the top 20 in all five polls: No. 19 by the NSCAA, No. 12 by Soccer Buzz, No. 14 by Soccer America, No. 15 by College Soccer Online and No. 20 by SoccerTimes.com.
This is also West Virginia's second NCAA bid, similar to both Dayton and Miami. The Mountaineers lost in their NCAA debut last season, 5-1 to Richmond in the first round.
Head coach Nikki Izzo-Brown started the program in 1996 and has won 65 percent of her games as the coach in Morgantown.
The Mountaineers were riding a seven-game winning streak before falling to Notre Dame in the BIG EAST final. They are led in senior Katie Barnes (12 goals, 10 assists, 34 points) and sophomore Christine Abbott (15-3=33). The goalkeeping time has been split by junior Melissa Haire (0.82 GAA, .789 save percentage) and Laura Finley (0.87 GAA, .778 Sv. Pct.).
ACC Leads The Way
The Atlantic Coast Conference has the highest percentage of its teams in the 2001 Women's College Cup field with 87.5 percent as seven of the eight schools fielding women's soccer have made the postseason. It marks the highest number of teams to qualify from the ACC ever. Along with Maryland, No. 1 North Carolina hosts UNC Greensboro, Duke faces Tennessee in Chapel Hill, Clemson hosts Kentucky as well as the Florida State-Auburn game, Virginia plays host to Liberty and the Wake Forest-William & Mary match.
The BIG EAST has the most participating teams with eight berths, but has 14 teams converting to 57 percent.
The Pac-10, SEC and West Coast Conference all have five teams in tournament with the WCC sending 71 percent (5 of 7).
BIDS BY CONFERENCE
BIG EAST 8 57.1 % (8 of 14)
ACC 7 87.5 % (7 of 8)
West Coast 5 71.4 % (5 of 7)
Pac-10 5 50.0 % (5 of 10)
SEC 5 40.0 % (5 of 12)
Against The Field
Maryland has a 5-5 record in 10 games against the NCAA field with wins over Duke (2-0), Rutgers (3-2 in OT), Loyola (2-0), Clemson (1-0 in OT) and William & Mary (2-1). The Terps' losses have come to Florida State twice (2-0 and 7-2), North Carolina, (3-1), Virginia (1-0) and Wake Forest (1-0).
Dayton is 0-3 against the field falling to Michigan (3-0), No. 2 seeded Santa Clara (3-1) and No. 5 seeded Stanford (6-0).
Miami is 1-1 with a win over Cincinnati (1-0) and a season-opening loss to SMU (2-1 in OT).
West Virginia is 6-4-1 in 11 games against teams in the NCAA's. They have beaten Miami (Fla.) twice (5-1 and 2-0), No. 8 seed Connecticut (1-0), Auburn (2-1 in OT), Rutgers (2-0) and William & Mary (3-1). The tie came against Villanova (1-1). The Mountaineers lost to Notre Dame twice (2-1 in OT and 2-1), Connecticut (1-0) and Virginia (2-1).
Against Maryland's Opponents
Maryland and Dayton have played two common opponents, Richmond and George Washington. The Terps split their two games with the teams from the Atlantic 10 defeating GW, 2-0 on Sept. 21 and being upset by Richmond, 1-0 on Sept. 6.
Dayton won all three of its games vs GW and Richmond, recording a 3-0 win over the Colonials on Oct. 7 and a pair of wins over the Spiders, 2-1 in the regular-season game on Oct. 5 and 2-1 in the A-10 title game.
Maryland and West Virginia have played five of the same teams (George Mason, James Madison, Rutgers, Virginia and William and Mary. The Terps went 2-1-2 vs. those teams with wins over Rutgers (3-2 in OT) and William & Mary (2-1), a loss to Virginia (1-0) and ties against George Mason (1-1) and James Madison (0-0).
The Mountaineers went 4-1 against those teams with wins over Rutgers (2-0), William & Mary (3-1), George Mason (3-2 in OT) and James Madison (3-1). WVU also lost to Virginia (2-1).
Maryland and Miami have not faced any of the same opponents this season.
Higgins-Cirovski In NCAA's
Maryland head coach Shannon Higgins-Cirovski is in her third NCAA Tournament as a coach and second with Maryland. She led George Washington to its first-ever NCAA bid in 1996 where the Colonials, ironically, lost to Maryland 2-0.
She is 1-2 in NCAA matches with the win a 1999 fist round win over Long Island in her initial playoff game as the Terps' coach. She also lost in the second round of the '99 tournament, 3-2 at Penn State. Overall, Higgins-Cirovski is 98-86-14 in 10 years, seven at George Washington and three at Maryland.
As a player, Higgins-Cirovski won four national championships at North Carolina from 1986-89. She scored the game-winning goal in three title games in 1987, 1988 and 1989.
Higgins-Cirovski Vs. Dayton
Shannon Higgins-Cirovski has a career record of 3-0 against Dayton with all three wins coming during her tenure at George Washington. Higgins-Cirovski led the Colonials to wins in three in Atlantic 10 conference games from 1995 to 1997 winning 2-1 in '95, 3-2 in '96 and 2-0 in '97.
Facing High School Teammates
With Maryland heading to Morgantown to face Dayton and West Virginia taking on Miami (Ohio), several Terps will have a chance to catch up with former high school teammates.
Terp freshman defender Lindsay Niehaus (Cincinnati, Ohio) will face fellow frosh Dayton midfielder Lindsey Whitehead. Both players graduated St. Ursula Academy last June 2001. Niehaus also has a former high school mate on the Miami roster, senior Courtney Carey.
Should the Terps face West Virginia, there will be more high school teammates on the sidelines. Maryland's Katie Ludwig (Mount Laurel, N.J.) and WVU's Laura Finley both went to Lenape High School in New Jersey. Terp Kim King (Media, Pa.) and Mountaineer Maura Cirilli both attended Strath Haven High School. Melissa Anderson (Annapolis, Md.) of the Terps and Athena Gramates both went to St. Mary's in Annapolis.
Several Maryland players such as Audra Poulin (Silver Spring, Md.) also played club ball with Jenn Lewis of the Mountaineers.
Current Terps In The NCAA Tournament
Eleven current Terps have played in the NCAA Tournament with senior Ali Wolff seeing the most action in five games, drawing four starts. She holds several Maryland tournament records including every mark for saves with eight in a game against George Mason in 1997, 10 in a tournament in 1998 and 18 in a tournament career. With Wolff redshirting last season, she has made the NCAA Tournament in each of the four seasons she has played 1997-99 and 2001.
Valerie Lawrence is tied for the school record for assists in a tournament game with two vs. LIU in 1999.
Courtney Beirne (Westminster, Md.) has played in four games with two starts in the NCAA Tournament, as the only other Terps with more than two games postseason experience.
Winning By Shutout
Maryland has won eight of its 10 games in 2001 via the shutout route. They won their first six by blanking their opponents, prior to the 2-1 win at William & Mary on Oct. 21. The Terps have posted shutouts in their last two wins, 2-0, blanking NC State and Mount St. Mary's.
Senior captain Ali Wolff has recorded whitewashes in those eight wins and one in a scoreless tie vs. James Madison.
Wolff's nine shutouts set a personal career high for her, besting her mark of five shutouts in a season set in 1997 and tied in 1999.
The nine shutouts in a season also ties the mark for most single-season shutouts, all-time. Heather Rowe set the mark in 1988 and it was tied by Missy Price in 1996 with nine.
With six shutouts in the first 11 games, Maryland equaled last season's total of six shutouts, and surpassed it with a shutout in game No. 12, a scoreless tie vs. James Madison.
The school record for shutouts in a season is 13, set in 1996 with Price recording nine of them.
Wolff Moving Up All-Time Keeper Charts
All-ACC second team goalkeeper Ali Wolff continues to re-write the record book when it comes to Maryland goalkeeping.
She added to her Maryland school record for career shutouts as she moved her career total to 20.5 with one save vs. Mount St. Mary's on Oct. 30.
Wolff set the school record when she made one save as the Terps blanked East Carolina, 1-0 on Sept. 9. Wolff broke the tie she had been in with former teammate Riki-Ann Serrins, who had 13.5 from 1997-2000.
She now has nine shutouts (vs. Towson, Duke, East Carolina, George Washington, Loyola, Clemson, James Madison, NC State and Mount St. Mary's) and a 0.59 goals against average on the season.
Wolff was named ACC Player of the Week (Aug. 31-Sept.3) after recording her first two shutouts of the season including a 2-0 upset over No. 17 Duke on Sept. 2, 2001.
She ranks in the top four in every one of Maryland's all-time goalkeeper stats.
With her start vs. Virginia, Wolff moved into second place for total goalkeeper games played and now has 67.
Wolff passed Riki-Ann Serrins for third all-time in career saves with two saves vs. North Carolina and now has 253, five from Heather Rowe's mark of 258.
Also with her start vs. the Tar Heels she moved into second all-time in goalie games started with 53, passing Missy Price who started 52 from 1993-96. She has now started 62 games between the pipes, four short of the record.
Wolff passed Price for goalie minutes played in the 22nd minute of the North Carolina game. Price played 4,483 minutes second to only Cailin Mullins' 6,098. Wolff has now played in 5,423 minutes with the Terps
WOLFF ON THE CHARTS
Category Rank Total Record
Shutouts First 20.5 20.5 (Ali Wolff)
Minutes Played Second 5,423 6,098 (Cailin Mullins)
Games Played Second 67 70 (Cailin Mullins)
Games Started Second 62 66 (Cailin Mullins)
Saves Third 253 361 (Cailin Mullins)
GAA Fourth 1.58 1.07 (Kassie Knecht)
Boyd On Assists Chart
Maryland senior Jenny Boyd (Herndon, Va.) has been a key player in the Terps' success late in the season. With seven assists this season, she is tied for the seventh-best single season mark in Maryland history. She is tied with Keri Sarver (1998), Terri Rich (1994) and Michelle Salmon (1996).
Her seven assists leads the team and is fourth in total points with nine.
She was named to the Soccer Buzz Elite Team of the Week on Oct. 29 and named the school's female student-athlete of the week on Oct. 29. Boyd had a huge week recording her first-career goal, the game-winner at NC State. She also added four assists in three games for a six-point week. Boyd assisted both goals in the win over William & Mary and assisted Jen Biscoe's game-winner in overtime to beat regional rival Rutgers, 3-2 on Oct. 24.
SINGLE-SEASON ASSISTS
1. Keri Sarver (1996) 15
2. Emmy Harbo (1998) 12
3. Tania Sheremeta (1992) 10
4. Robin McCullough (1998) 9
Emmy Harbo (1995) 9
6. Keri Sarver (1997) 8
7. Jenny Boyd (2001) 7
Keri Sarver (1998) 7
Terri Rich (1994) 7
Michelle Salmon (1996) 7
Biscoe Nets Game-Winners
Maryland's leading scorer Jen Biscoe has a knack for the big-time goal. Four of her five goals this season have been game-winners.
Biscoe leads the team with in points with 15 and is tied with Kim King with five goals.
She has posted game-winners against Mount St. Mary's on Oct. 30, Rutgers on Oct. 24, William & Mary (Oct. 21) and Loyola (Sept. 30).
Her winner vs. Rutgers came in the 101st minute in overtime to give the Terps a key Mid-Atlantic region win.
Terps Pick Up Ninth Win All-Time Vs. Top-10
Maryland's win over No. 8 Clemson on Oct. 13, was its ninth all-time against a team ranked in the Top 10 of the NSCAA poll. The last time, Maryland upset a top-10 team came on Aug. 29, 2000, when Maryland shocked No. 4 Penn State, 3-1, at Ludwig Field.
The win was also Maryland's 31st all-time against a team ranked in the Top 25.
Maryland has now upset Clemson in each of its of its last three visits to Ludwig Field, when the Tigers were ranked in the NSCAA Top 10. The Terps beat then-No. 9 Clemson, 2-0 on Oct. 12, 1997 and also beat then-No. 9 Clemson on Oct. 17, 1999 in overtime.
The win over Clemson in 1999 was also Maryland's last home overtime game prior to the shocker on Oct. 13.
Maryland's first-ever win over a Top-10 team came when the Terps shocked No. 8 William & Mary, 2-1 on Oct. 8, 1993.
Maryland's Rebuilt Defense
Head coach Shannon Higgins-Cirovski has had to juggle her lineup due to injuries to three starting defenders. All three Maryland junior backs have missed part of the season or will miss the entire campaign.
The stabilizing force on the defense has been sophomore captain Lindsay Givens. Givens has been a vital cog for the Terps, playing all 1711 minutes. Only senior keeper Ali Wolff has played all 1711 minutes also. Givens is second on the team in assists with six, including several on her trademark long throw-ins.
Junior Carly Viher will miss the entire season after suffering a torn left ACL in practice on Aug. 29. She underwent successful surgery on Sept. 13.
Junior Sally Harrison (Virginia Beach, Va.) had her streak of 45 consecutive starts ended by a dislocated left kneecap suffered in a scrimmage on Sept. 16. She also underwent season-ending surgery in mid-October.
With Viher out, Katie Kruse has started the past 17 games, playing all but four minutes of the last 16 regular-season matches helping the Terps to a 0.67 goals against average, prior to the ACC Tournament.
Freshman Lindsay Niehaus has drawn the last 14 starts in the backfield and played 1494 solid minutes
Junior Valerie Lawrence, who suffered a severely sprained right ankle against East Carolina on Sept. 9, missed her first four career games. She returned to action for the final three minutes against North Carolina on Oct. 5. In the last six games, Lawrence has been used primarily as a midfielder, returning to the position she played as a freshman with the Terps. However she did see some time in the backfield against Florida State.
With Lawrence and Harrison missing, Higgins-Cirovski moved starting forward Sara Gustafson (Reisterstown, Md.) to right back for three games, and has now inserted midfielder Katie Ludwig at that right back spot since the Loyola match on Sept. 30.
Recapping The European Tour
The Terps began the 2001 season with a preseason training trip to Europe, where they played five games against teams from Germany, Holland and Belgium, recording a 2-1-2 record.
Maryland played to 1-1 ties in its first two games against FCC Frankfurt (Aug. 18) and Eendracht Aalst of Belgium (Aug. 20). They continued with a win over ODC Boxtel of Holland, 4-2 on Aug. 22, a loss to FCR Duisburg of Germany, 3-2 on Aug. 23, before closing with their best effort of the trip, a 5-0 trouncing of Oost Kapelle of Holland.
Media Information
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Terrapin Fan Phone: For up-to-date reports, comments from coaches, and other Maryland athletic department information, phone the Terrapin Fan Phone at (301) 314-TERP.