Game Notes: Field Hockey Comes Home for Two Non-Conference Tilts
10/17/2003 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
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Oct. 17, 2003
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
GAME 15: #7 Old Dominion (10-4) vs. #4 Maryland (12-2)
Saturday, October 18, 2003 * 1 p.m.
Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex (1,000/Turf),
College Park, Md.
GAME 16: #15 Delaware (10-4) vs. #4 Maryland (12-2)
Sunday, October 19, 2003 * 2 p.m.
Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex (1,000/Turf),
College Park, Md.
Terps Come Home for Two Non-Conference Tilts
* Third-ranked Maryland returns home for two games against teams ranked in the NFHCA Top 15. The Terps look to get back on track after dropping a decisive 3-1 game at Duke.
* The game with Old Dominion marks the second game of the home-and-home series with the Lady Monarchs. The Terps won the first battle in Norfolk, Va., 2-1. ODU is on a six-game win streak, coming off of a 6-5 overtime victory against Maryland's Sunday opponent, No. 15 Delaware.
* At halftime of the Old Dominion-Maryland game, the Terps will be celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the 1993 National Championship team. Members of that team and head coach Missy Meharg will be recognized.
Terps Celebrate 10-Year Anniversary of National Championship
* Maryland will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Terps' 1993 National Championship title run at halftime of the Old Dominion game on Oct. 18. Head coach Missy Meharg's first national championship as a coach, that team defeated North Carolina, 2-1, in penalty strokes to take home Maryland's first field hockey crown in six years. The Terps were 21-3 in 1993 and 4-0 in ACC play. They lost to the Tar Heels in the championship game of the ACC Tournament, 2-0, but bounced back to win an even bigger game in the NCAA finals.
A Look At The Terps
* With Maryland's back-to-back 7-0 victories against Rutgers and Pacific in the Terrapin Invitational, 16th-year head coach Missy Meharg recorded her 250th-career victory and boasts a 256-83-9 (.749). A 1985 graduate of Delaware, Meharg was named Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year in 2002. During her tenure, she has led the Terps to two national championship titles (1993 and 1999) and five Atlantic Coast Championship crowns. Maryland's all-time winningest coach, she has been named National Coach of the Year four times.
* The team's goal and points leader since the beginning of the season, freshman Paula Infante has 14 goals and 34 points. Infante went on a tear to open the season, scoring at least a goal in the Terps' first six games of the season. Sophomore Jackie Ciconte has also posted double-digit goals, tying for the team lead with 14. Junior Anja Boettcher tallied her 10th goal of the season in the win over Ohio State. Eleven different Terps have scored goals with six tallying at least six goals. The team's assist leader with 13, sophomore All-American Lauren Powley did not record an assist all of last season.
* Ranked 13th in the nation in goals against average, sophomore Tori Cano boasts a 1.16 average and team-leading 28 saves in 845 minutes played. Redshirt freshman Christina Restivo has allowed just one goal in 142:24 minutes. The Terps goalkeepers have recorded six shutouts this season.
* Maryland has been peppering its opposing goalies, outscoring its opponents 63-15 and outshooting them 320-71. The third-ranked offense in the nation, the Terps are scoring 4.47 goals per game.
* The Terps return 11 letterwinners from last year's 17-5 team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and reached the ACC Tournament finals. Seven starters return, including 2002 NFHCA second team All-American and 2001 ACC Rookie of the Year Colleen Barbieri. Barbieri is the team's top-returning scorer. Maryland also welcomes 10 newcomers to the squad who have made an immediate impact.
Terps' Last Time Out
* The Terps suffered just their second loss of the year, recording a disappointing 3-1 setback to then-No. 4 Duke. Sophomore Amber McQuillan scored Maryland's lone goal on a pass from freshman Paula Infante. Maryland outshot the Blue Devils, 17-10, and each team was awarded just three penalty corners for the game, all coming in the second half.
A Look at the LADY MONARCHS
* Twenty-one year coaching veteran Beth Anders (Ursinus 73) has stepped aside for the 2003 season to coach the U.S. National Team. Heading the Lady Monrach helm this season is interim head coach Susan Myers who has been with the program for 16 years. A 1983 graduate of Slippery Rock, she has guided ODU to its current record of 10-4 and 6-0 in the Colonial Athletic Association.
* Old Dominion is 10-4 entering the season and is led by a formidable attack that ranks eighth in the nation with 3.52 goals per game. Senior Angie Loy leads the squad with 39 points which is also third-best in the country. The only player on the team with double digit goals and double digit assists, she leads the team in goals and assists with 13 apiece. She ranks in the top 10 nationally in both categories.
* Junior Tina Walker has made an appearance in all 14 games for the Lady Monarchs and has played all but seven minutes this season. She has made 74 saves and has a 1.91 goals against average.
* LAST MEETING: The Terps won the first game of the home-and-home series on Sept. 6 in Norfolk, Va., 2-1. Freshman Paula Infante assisted on Maryland's first goal and then scored the game-winner, helping UM to just their second all-time regular season win in Norfolk. The Terps outshot the Lady Monarchs, 10-5.
A Look at the BLUE HENS
* In her 10th season at her alma mater, head coach Carol Miller has compiled a 211-138-18 career record and a 125-86 mark at Delaware. A 1982 graduate, she was named America East Coach of the Year in 1994 when she led the Blue Hens to a first-place finish in the league. While in the America East under her command, Delaware had two runner-up finishes. In the team's first season in the Colonial Athletic Association, the Blue Hens placed third with a 4-3 record and reached the tournament semifinals. Prior two her hiring at Delaware, Miller spent eight seasons at Millersville, leading the team to three conference championships and four NCAA Tournament appearances.
* Delaware has put together a balanced attack which ranks 19th in the nation (2.86) as nine players have scored at least a goal. Jessi Balmer has tallied a team-high nine goals while Erica LaBar has notched a team-leading 10 assists and 22 points.
* Megan Allen has been the primary goaltender for the Blue Hens. She has a 1.79 goals against average and a .667 save percentage in almost 950 minutes played. The defense has limited its opponents to one goal or less seven times.
* LAST MEETING: The Terps defeated the Blue Hens, 3-1, in Newark, Del. Colleen Barbieri scored two second-half goals to secure the win for Maryland. Goalkeeper Keryy Hearsey made five saves in the victory.
Series versus...
* OLD DOMINION: The Terps trail the all-time series, 11-20-1, but claimed the first win of the home-and-home series in Norfolk, Va., on Sept. 6, 2-1. Eleven of the last 13 meetings have been decided by two goals or less and of those meetings, three have gone to overtime and one was decided by penalty strokes.
* DELAWARE: Maryland leads the all-time series, 15-10-2, having won the last four in a row and the last seven of eight meetings.
Terps Among Nation's Best
* Maryland's offense and defense rates among the top 10 in the nation. Offensively, the Terps 4.47 scoring rate is third and the 1.06 goals allowed is ninth, helping UM to a third-best 3.41 margin of victory. Maryland's .857 winning percentage (12-2) is also tied for fourth in the nation.
* Freshman Paula Infante is the highest-ranked Terp in the nation in scoring. Her 34 points is seventh and is fourth with 2.615 points per game. Infante and sophomore Jackie Ciconte are also tied for sixth with 14 goals, while sophomore All-American Lauren Powley is tied for third with 13 assists. Powley had not registered an assist all last season. Sophomore goalkeeper Tori Cano is in the top 15 in goals against average, rating 13th with a 1.16 GAA. In all, five different Terps are among the nation's top 20 in several different categories. For a full list, check out the right margin of page three.
In The ACC Stats
* In the ACC statistical categories, freshman Paula Infante has led the league in points all season until this week where she is third with 34, just one point behind the league leaders. Sophomore All-American Lauren Powley is fourth in the ACC with 0.93 assists per game and junior Emily Boyer is sixth, averaging 0.86 apg.
* Sophomore Tori Cano is third in the conference with a 1.16 goals against average and her 28 saves is fifth. Sophomore Jackie Ciconte (28 pts, T6th; 1.00 gpg T4th)is also among the top 10 in the league in points and goals per game.
* The Terps average 4.50 goals per game which is third in the ACC. The team's six shutouts is fourth. Maryland ranks third in points per game (12.29), and fourth assists per game (3.29) and goals against average (1.06).
Terp Attack
* The formidable attack from two years ago seems to be back. Maryland has scored more goals than it had all last season. With five regular-season games left, the Terps have scored 63 goals. In 22 games last year, the Terps scored 59 goals.
* Two years ago, the Terps were the top-ranked offense in the nation. Maryland ranked 14th at the end of last season.
Terps "D" Up
* Six of Maryland's 12 wins have come by virtue of shutout. The Terps have allowed only 15 goals this season, allowing more than one goal to opponents just five times. The shots and penalty corners have been hard to come by for opponents as well. Maryland opponents average 5.07 shots per game and 2.79 penalty corners per game. It's no wonder the Terrapin defense has been so hard to penetrate. The backfield ranks ninth in the nation in scoring defense at 1.06.
Ciconte Not Slumping
* Jackie Ciconte does not know the meaning of "sophomore slump" because she is having a breakout year. Playing in every game and starting all but one match this season, she is tied for the team lead with 14 goals, while posting 28 points. All are career bests. She also has a career-high four game-winning goals, tallying her fourth in the 3-1 victory over Ohio State. With her two-goal performance against the Buckeyes, Ciconte is second on the team with four multiple-goal games.
* Ciconte played 19 of the Terps' 22 games last year, making four starts. She totaled six goals, one assist, 13 points and three game-winning goals.
Nearing the Century Mark
* A first team All-American last year, junior Colleen Barbieri is on the verge of breaking the 100-career point plateau. She currently has 93 points. She has also scored 39 career points and is three away from tying for 10th on Maryland's all-time list.
Seeing Double
* Six different Terps have scored at least two goals in a game. Team scoring leader freshman Paula Infante has had the most two-goal performances, scoring a pair in five games. Sophomore Jackie Ciconte has accomplished that feat four times. Junior All-American Colleen Barbieri, junior Anja Boettcher and junior co-captain Sara Silvetti have recorded two two-goal games. Sophomore Amber McQuillan rounds out the list, tallying two goals in the win over Rutgers. Boettcher is the only Terp this season to record a hat trick.
* The Terps' offense ranks second in the nation, scoring 4.73 goals per game.
Meharg reaches 250
* Maryland's 7-0 win over Pacific on the final day of the Terrapin Invitational gave head coach Missy Meharg her 250th-career victory. Already the program's all-time winningest coach, she boasts a record of 256-82-9 in 16 years. On Sept. 20, 1998, Meharg became Maryland's winningest coach with a 3-0 win vs. UMass, chalking up her 153rd career triumph.
Terps to Named to U.S. Team
* Four former Terps were selected for the U.S. National Team's residency program. Katie Kauffman-Beach ('97), Carissa Messimer ('03) Dina Rizzo ('02) and Keli Smith ('01) were named to the 19-player roster which was selected after open tryouts held at the team's training site in Virginia Beach, Va. The U.S. will begin preparations for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, March 19-28, 2004, in Auckland, New Zealand, including hosting the International Atlantic Cup which features four of the top 10 ranked teams in the world.
* Kauffman-Beach, Rizzo and Smith each played for the U.S. team this summer, helping the Stars & Stripes capture a silver medal at the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Kauffman-Beach was named team captain of that squad. Messimer is making her debut on the senior squad, having been a member of the 2001 Junior World Cup Team and 1999 Under-20 squad.
Tough Schedule
* The Terps continually play one of the toughest schedules in the nation. This year's slate is no different as Maryland is scheduled or has faced 10 teams ranked in this week's NFHCA Coaches Poll. The top four spots in the poll are occupied by ACC teams, including Maryland. All five ACC teams are among the top 20. Wake Forest is the top team in the country for the sixth week in a row, followed by North Carolina, Duke and the Terps. Virginia is 20th in the country.
* The top four teams in the nation, besides Maryland, are featured on the Terps' schedule. After the top four spots which are occupied by ACC teams, Michigan, which the Terps defeated 4-2, is fifth. Seventh in the poll is Old Dominion, a team which UM has also already defeated and will battle again on Saturday, Oct. 18. The Terps defeated No. 10 Princeton in an edge-of-your seat matchup. No. 15 Delaware visits the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex on Oct. 18 and the Terps have already beaten No. 17 Harvard. Nearby rival American entered the charts for the first time this week and is ranked 20th. The Terps only two losses of the year have come at the hands of No. 1 Wake Forest and No. 3 Duke.
Terps in Openers
* The Terrapins are 25-3-2 in season openers since program's first year in 1974. Maryland went unbeaten the first 15 years, going 13-0-2 before losing back-to-back openers in 1989 (at Virginia) and 1990 (at Old Dominion). UM has won the last seven opening games of the season.
* When opening the home slate, the Terps are 24-4-2 all-time, having won the last five home openers in a row.
Infante Earns Conference Honor
* Freshman defender Paula Infante was named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week for the opening week of the season on Sept. 1. The Santiago, Chile, native tallied three goals and two assists in the Terps' first two wins of the season. She also contributed to Maryland's defensive effort which allowed just three shots and one penalty corner combined over both games.
Maryland No. 3 in First Poll of the Year
* The Maryland Terrapins were ranked third in the initial National Field Hockey Coaches Association Top 20 poll of the year which was released on Sept. 9. Prior to that announcement, the Terps were 4-0, including posting a 2-1 victory over arch-rival Old Dominion.
Terps Name Captains
* Juniors Sara Silvetti and Kristin Harris have been named captains for the 2003 season. Silvetti, a redshirt junior, is a back and has started every game for the Terps the last two seasons. Harris is a midfielder who has started all but one game the last two seasons and was named second team NFHCA Mid-Atlantic Region.
Up Next
* Maryland hits the road again for a crucial ACC matchup. No. 2 North Carolina hosts the Terps on Oct. 25 at 1 p.m.
